Perennials, 30-60 cm (rhizomes branched). Stems ascending to erect, glabrous or sparsely stipitate-glandular. Leaves: mid and distal blades lanceolate to lance-ovate, 3-6 cm × 5-15 mm, ± glabrous. Heads 3-8 in corymbiform arrays. Peduncles glabrous or sparsely glandular. Involucres campanulate, 8-9 mm. Phyllaries in 3-5 series (sometimes reddish apically), lanceolate to narrowly ovate (unequal), apices acute, abaxial glabrous or sparsely glandular. Rays 0 or 1-2(-4), violet-purple. Cypselae appressed-pilose; pappus bristles in 2 series, ± smooth.

Flowering Jul-Aug. Dry open oak or coniferous forest or chaparral; 700-2300 m; Calif., Oreg.

Eucephalus glabratus is found in the Klamath Mountains of northwestern California and southwestern Oregon. The species is reported to intergrade with E. breweri, E. ledophyllus, and E. tomentellus.