Plants 15-40(-90) cm. Stems proximally usually piloso-hirsute (hairs 1-6+ mm), rarely glabrous, distally glabrous. Leaves: basal (0-)3-8+, cauline 1-5(-12+); blades oblanceolate, 40-100(-300) × 12-30(-60+) mm, lengths 3-5+ times widths, bases cuneate, margins usually entire, sometimes sinuately toothed, apices obtuse to acute, faces piloso-hirsute (hairs 1-6 mm), rarely glabrous. Heads (3-)12-50+ in corymbiform to paniculiform arrays. Peduncles usually glabrous, sometimes stipitate-glandular. Calyculi: bractlets 5-12+. Involucres ± campanulate, (7-)8-10(-11) mm. Phyllaries 8-13+, apices acuminate, abaxial faces piloso-hirsute (hairs 1-2+ mm), stellate-pubescent, and stipitate-glandular. Florets (6-)12-25+; corollas yellow, 9-10 mm. Cypselae columnar, 2.5-4 mm; pappi of 30-40+, stramineous bristles in ± 2 series, (4-)5-7 mm.

Flowering (May-)Jun-Sep. Chaparral, conifer forests, meadows, stream beds, serpentines, volcanics, around mineral springs; 10-2900 m; Alta., B.C., N.W.T., Que., Sask.; Alaska, Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mont., Nev., Oreg., S.Dak., Utah, Wash., Wis., Wyo.; Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora).