Aerial flowering stems (0.5-)1-3(-4) dm, with a distinct whorl of leaflike bracts ca. midlength. Leaf blades usually linear to linear-oblanceolate or oblanceolate, 2-5 × 0.2-1(-1.5) cm, densely lanate to tomentose abaxially, floccose or glabrous and green adaxially, rarely densely lanate on both surfaces. Involucres turbinate to campanulate; tubes 2-4.5 mm; teeth 1.5-5 mm. Flowers 4-8 mm; perianth white to cream or ochroleucous.

Flowering May-Sep. Sandy to gravelly flats, slopes, and ridges, mixed grassland and sagebrush communities, oak, aspen, and montane to subalpine conifer woodlands; (300-)600-3100(-3500) m; B.C.; Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mont., Nev., Oreg., Utah, Wash., Wyo.

Variety heracleoides is widespread and usually common. It is highly variable. Narrow-leaved populations of southern British Columbia, northern Washington, Idaho, and northwestern Montana occasionally are segregated as var. angustifolium, but plants in southeastern Oregon and northeastern Nevada can have narrower leaves during years of limited precipitation, and the same condition is found in scattered populations elsewhere. Plants found farther to the east consistently have broader leaves. This expression of the species is most frequently seen in cultivation.