Shrubs, 60-120 cm. Stems branched from bases, puberulent, sparsely gland-dotted. Leaves alternate; petioles 1-2 mm; blades obscurely 3-nerved from bases, lanceolate to lance-ovate, 5-40 × 3.5-12 mm, bases acute to cuneate, margins usually coarsely dentate, sometimes entire, apices acute, faces gland-dotted. Heads in (elongate) paniculiform arrays. Peduncles 1-2 mm, puberulent, gland-dotted. Involucres cylindric to campanulate, 7-11 mm. Phyllaries 18-22 in 5-6 series, greenish or stramineous, 3-5-striate, unequal, margins scarious (apices acute to obtuse, ciliate); outer ovate (glandular-pubescent), inner lanceolate (gland-dotted). Florets 13-20; corollas pale green or yellow, 4.5-6.5 mm. Cypselae 3.5-4 mm, usually glabrous, rarely sparsely pubescent; pappi of 30-35 tawny, usually barbellate, sometimes subplumose, bristles. 2n = 18.

Flowering Aug-Nov. Gravel of limestone streambeds; 100-400 m; Tex.