Annuals, 10-30+ cm. Leaf blades: bases obscurely, if at all, clasping, faces densely to loosely tomentose (at least abaxially, sometimes glandular beneath tomentum); proximal narrowly obovate or oblanceolate to linear, 10-30 × 1-5 mm, often obscurely pinnately lobed or toothed; distal similar, smaller, entire or distally toothed. Heads in ± racemiform arrays (on main and lateral stems). Involucres 3.5-4.5 mm. Receptacles 1.5-2.5 mm diam. Pistillate florets 20-40+; corollas: lengths ± ¹ / 2 styles, laminae 0. Disc florets 3-10. Cypselae purplish, 1.3-1.5 mm, densely sericeous (hairs 0.3-0.5 mm), sometimes glandular near apices; pappi of 30-40+ white bristles in 2 series, outer ± persistent, 0.8-1 mm, inner persistent or ± fragile, 2-3 mm. 2n = 18.

Flowering late summer-fall. Disturbed sites, openings in pine and oak forests; 1800-2300 m; Tex.; Mexico.