Perennial herbs, 25–40 (–60) cm tall. Stem stout, simple – branched, erect or rarely procumbent, sparsely–densely hirsute–scabrid, glandular on the upper half. Leaves variable, basal leaves in rosette, withering at anthesis, oblanceolate or ovate–elliptic, (3–) 5–12 cm long (including petiole), (0.8–) 1–2.5 cm wide, acute–obtuse, entire –sparingly toothed, ciliate– sparsely hirsute–scabrid on either side or glabrescent, cauline leaves ovate–lanceolate or oblong–lanceolate, attenuate into small petiole–subsessile, 2.5–5 (–8) cm long (including petiole), 0.4–1.5 (–2) cm wide, entire or with 2 or 3 tooth on either side, acute–acuminate, rounded at the base, semi–amplexicaul, upper ones lanceolate–linear, 0.7–1.5 (–2) cm long, 0.4–1 cm wide, lanceolate–linear, acute–acuminate, sessile, clasped or semi–amplexicaul. Capitula mostly solitary or 2–many in corymbose synflorescence, (2.5–) 3–4 cm across. Involucre hemispheric, 1–1.5 (–2) cm in diameter. Phyllaries 3–seriate, sparsely–densely hirsute, mixed with stipitate glands, mostly at the apex, outer phyllaries 4–5 mm long, 1–1.5 mm wide, lanceolate; middle ones 6–7 mm long, 0.8–1.2 mm wide, lanceolate–linear, innermost 7.5–8 (–9) mm long, 0.5–0.8 mm long, linear, acuminate,  purple tinged, scarious. Ray florets numerous, purple–lilac, 13–15 (–20) mm long, corolla tube 2.5 – 3.5 mm long, sparsely hairy. Female eligulate florets absent. Disc florets yellow, 3–4.5 mm long, tube 1–1.5 mm long, hairy, limb 2–3 mm long including 0.3–0.5 mm long, glabrous lobes. Cypselas 1.5–2 mm long, 0.5–1 mm wide, oblong–obovoid, compressed, 1–ribbed, with brown margins, minutely strigose. Outer bristles of pappus somewhat wider than the inner ones, ca < 0.5 mm long, inner ones, 2.5–3 (–4) mm long, dirty white–brownish.