Perennials, 20-60 cm (polycarpic; often with moderately branched, woody caudices). Stems 1-10, green throughout or sometimes purple-red-tinted proximally, sparingly or moderately branched distally, ± hairy. Leaves: blades usually lobed (lobes 3-23), glabrous or sparsely hairy, gland-dotted (basal leaf bases sparsely, if at all, long-villous-woolly); mid leaves lobed (lobes 5-21, terminal lobes 0.8-1.2 mm wide). Heads 10-50+ per plant, in paniculiform to corymbiform arrays. Peduncles 1.5-5.5 cm, ± hairy. Involucres campanulate, 8-9 × 8-11 mm. Phyllaries in 2 series, unequal; outer 8-11, basally connate ¹/2-²/3 their lengths, obovate, 4.5-6 mm, apices acute; inner 8-12, obovate, 4.5-6 mm, apices mucronate. Ray florets 8-11; corollas yellow, 9-15 × 4-7 mm. Disc florets 25-80+; corollas 3.5-4.2 mm. Cypselae narrowly obpyramidal, 2-2.7 mm; pappi of 5-6 obovate, aristate scales 1.7-2.7 mm. 2n = 30.

Flowering (Jun-)Jul-Sep. Open areas, edges of forests; of conservation concern; 1600-2100(-2500) m; N.Mex., Tex.