Perennial, rhizomatous, caespitose herbs. Stem erect – somewhat ascending, 20–50 (–75) cm tall, reddish–purplish in the lower half, green above, simple or  rarely branched, strigillose – hirsute or villose mostly in the upper half. Basal leaves in rosette, withering at anthesis, 5–12 (–15) cm long (including petiole), 0.4 – 0.8 (–1.2) cm wide, oblanceolate – elliptic or ± ovate, acute – obtuse, entire, eglandular, ± strigose – glabrescent, cauline leaves subsessile, 3–9 cm long, 0.8 – 1.2 cm wide, lanceolate – oblanceolate, entire – acute, upper and uppermost leaves sessile, (0.5–) 1–2 cm long, 1–1.5 cm wide, lanceolate, acute, somewhat clasped – semi–amplexicaul. Capitula solitary, 2–2.5 (–3) cm across on strigillose – hirsute peduncle. Involucre hemispheric, 1.5 – 2 cm in diameter, hirsute – villous. Phyllaries 3– seriate, green, purplish at the apex, acute – acuminate, outer 5.5–6 mm long, 1 – 1.3 mm wide, lanceolate, middle ones ca 7 mm long, 0.8 – 1.2 mm wide, lanceolate – linear, acute, innermost 8 – 9 mm long, 0.5 – 0.7 mm wide, linear, acuminate, scarious, erose. Ray florets 8 – 10 (–11) mm long, 0.5 – 1 mm wide, corolla tube ca 2.5 mm  long, hairy, ligule 6–8.5 mm long, yellow, 3–toothed, hairy. Female eligulate florets absent. Disc florets 5 – 5.5 mm long, tube 1 – 1.2 mm long, limb cylindrical, 4 – 4.3 mm long including 0.5 – 1 mm long lobes. Cypselas ca 2 mm long, ca 1 mm wide, oblong, compressed, strigose, brown, hilum basal. Outer bristles of pappus ca 0.5 mm long, inner ones 3.5 – 4.5 (–5) mm long, creamish – white.