Herbs, erect, polycarpic perennials, tomentose or glabrous; taproot woody. Stems erect, tomentose to floccose or glabrous; caudex stems absent; aerial flowering stems erect, slender to stout, solid, not hollow, fistulose, or disarticulating in ringlike segments proximally, arising directly from the root. Leaves usually persistent, basal or cauline, 1 per node or fasciculate; blade tomentose abaxially. Inflorescences terminal, cymose, open; branches mostly dichotomous, not disarticulating into ringlike segments, round and smooth or finely striated or grooved, tomentose; bracts 3(-5), connate basally, scalelike or leaflike. Peduncles absent or erect and stout. Involucres 1 per node, not appressed to the inflorescence branches, turbinate to campanulate; teeth 5, erect, apex acute. Flowers attenuate at base, with stipelike base 0.5-7 mm; perianth cream to light tan or yellow, densely pubescent abaxially, glabrous adaxially; tepals connate proximally 1/ 1/ 3 their length, monomorphic or dimorphic; stamens exserted; filaments glabrous or densely pilose. Achenes brown, not winged, 3-gonous, glabrous or pubescent. Seeds: embryo straight.

Species 2 (2 in the flora): United States.