Plants 15–60 cm. Cauline leaves: (nearly all opposite or mostly alternate) largest proximal to mid stems; blades ± 3-nerved, lance-ovate or oblong-lanceolate to lanceolate or linear, 5–26 cm, faces ± hirsutulous to scaberulous or glabrescent. Heads usually borne singly, sometimes 2–3+, erect. Involucres hemispheric, 15–25 mm diam. Phyllaries lanceolate (sometimes outer 2–3 foliaceous; margins usually ciliate, abaxial faces densely hairy or glabrate). Paleae chartaceous, relatively firm. Ray florets (10–)12–16; laminae 15–20+ mm. Disc corollas yellow. Cypselae strongly compressed, obovate-cuneate to oblong (winged or almost wingless, margins ciliate, apices deeply notched, faces glabrous); pappi 0 or 2 ± subulate scales plus 0–4 shorter scales.

Subspecies 3 (3 in the flora): w United States.