Erect, up to 2 m tall herb, sometimes scandent, much branched above, stems glandular pubescent. Leaves simple, undivided, subsessile, ovate–lanceolate, entire to coarsely serrate, acuminate, 3–5 (–6) cm long, ca 3 cm wide, puberulous above, more beneath. Capitula many, arranged in corymbs, florets few, (5–8). Involucre campanulate, ca 5 mm long, phyllaries 1–2 seriate, 5–8, obtuse, outer ca 1 mm long, sparsely puberulent, inner one longer, elliptic to elliptic lanceolate, obtuse, sparsely glandular to glabrous. Corolla white yellow, purple or reddish. Cypselas 2–3 mm long, ± glandular, 5–ribbed, hairy on the ribs. Pappus uniseriate, bristles many, 4–5 mm long, white.