Perennials, 25-140 cm. Stems usually 1, usually unbranched distally, weakly winged, glabrous proximally, sparsely to moderately hairy distally. Leaves glabrous or sparsely hairy; basal and proximal blades spatulate, entire; mid and distal blades ovate to oblanceolate to oblong-elliptic, entire. Heads 1(-3) per plant, usually borne singly. Peduncles 10-30(-50) cm, usually densely hairy (tomentose near involucres). Involucres depressed hemispheric to globoid, 14-24 × 18-34 mm. Phyllaries (connate proximally) usually tomentose. Ray florets 15-30, pistillate, fertile; corollas yellow, (12-)16-28(-37) × 6-13(-25) mm. Disc florets 300-750(-1000+); corollas yellow proximally, yellow to brown to purple distally, 4-5(-5.2) mm, lobes 5. Cypselae 1.5-2.5 mm, moderately to densely hairy; pappi of 6-8 entire, aristate scales (2.5-)3-4.5 mm. 2n = 32.

Flowering Jun-Sep. Bogs, seepage areas, wet meadows; 30-200 m; Calif., Oreg.