Erect herbs, branched, (15-) 20-60 cm tall, densely white tomentose, leaves variable, whitish tomentose on both surfaces, 2-6 x 0.5-0.8 (-1.2) cm, entire, sessile, oblong spathulate, sometimes upper one smaller, narrowly linear-lanceolate, obtuse. Capitula arranged in dense terminal corymbs, each corymb with a cluster of c. 10 or more capitula; peduncle short c. 2 mm long, densely tomentose; phyllaries multiseriate, pale to dark brown or reddish brown, oblong or oblanceolate, 3-4 x 0.5-1 mm, almost completely scarious, or basal part greenish. Outer marginal florets many, 120-150, filiform, corolla 3-4 toothed; central florets bisexual, tubular, 1/4th – 1/5th of the female florets, corolla 5-lobed. Cypselas c. 0.5 mm long, linear, minutely puberulous-papillose; pappus white, setae free or slightly connate at the base, c. 2-5 mm long with long patent cilia.

Fl.Per.: Almost throughout the year.

Lectotype: Herb. Van Royen (L, Sheet 900.286-294).

Grows from plains to 2500 m in dry riverbeds, along water channels and roadside; Distribution: Cosmopolitan, widely distributed in Europe, S W and Central Asia, Pakistan, India, China, N America and Australia.

A highly variable species particularly in the colour of phyllaries which varies from pale to dark brown or reddish brown and leaf shape. However, the variation seems to be continuous.