Annuals (biennials, or short-lived perennials), (5-)20-120 cm. Leaf blades oblong to narrowly oblanceolate, 1-3 cm × 2-7 mm, bases clasping, margins entire, ± revolute. Phyllaries lance-linear to linear, 3-5 mm, pilosulous. Ray florets (10-)20-30+; corolla laminae 1.5-2+ mm. Disc florets (9-)40-100+; corollas 2-3 mm. Cypselae 0.8-1 mm, ± hirsutulous; pappi: outer cups 0.1-0.2(-0.4) mm, inner 12-20+ bristles 2-3 mm. 2. = 18 (Spain).

Flowering Jul-Oct. Roadways, dry streambeds, seasonal wetlands; 30-600 m; introduced; Calif.; Europe (Portugal, Spain).

Pulicaria paludosa was first recognized as a naturalized weed in southern California in the early 1960s (P. H. Raven 1963b); it had been collected earlier by P. A. Munz (in 1946).