Short woollyheads

Plants greenish to grayish, sericeous to densely lanuginose. Stems (1–)2–10, erect to prostrate; proximal internode lengths mostly 0.5–1.5(–2) times leaf lengths. Capitular leaves ± erect, appressed to heads (sometimes spreading), linear-lanceolate to ovate, widest in proximal ²/3, longest 8–25 mm, lengths mostly 1.5–6 times widths, 1–2.5(–3) times head heights. Heads ± spheric, rarely ovoid, largest 6–14 mm. Receptacles unlobed or ± lobed. Pistillate paleae hidden by or visible through indument, longest 2.8–4 mm (lengths 1.5–6 times longest diams.; wings subapical to ± median). Staminate corollas 0.8–1.6 mm, lobes mostly 5. Cypselae narrowly obovoid, ± compressed, 0.8–1.9 mm. 2n = 28.

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora): w North America (including nw Mexico); s South America.