Perennials, 3-40(-100) cm (fibrous-rooted, sometimes rhizomatous; stems ± scapiform). Leaves basal; sessile or ± petiolate; blades elliptic or elliptic-obovate to obovate, obovate-elliptic, ovate, or sublyrate, bases cuneate, margins entire or denticulate, serrulate, or dentate to lobed, abaxial faces usually covered with dense wool, adaxial faces glabrous or glabrescent. Heads quasi-radiate or ± disciform (see florets; chasmogamous, produced well after rosette leaves, erect in flowering, nodding or erect in bud and again in fruit), borne singly. Involucres cylindric to campanulate, (7-)9-15+ mm (larger in fruit). Phyllaries in 2-5+ series, lanceolate to lance-linear, unequal, apices acute. Receptacles flat to convex, foveolate or smooth, glabrous, epaleate. Florets (dimorphic or trimorphic in 1-2 outer, pistillate zones plus 1 inner, bisexual or functionally staminate zone): outer pistillate-zone florets 9-38(-90+) in 1-2(-3) series, fertile, corollas creamy white to purple (sometimes with adaxial midstripe), zygomorphic (liguliform or bilabiate, inner lip often bifurcate, limbs sometimes reduced, style branches terete and linear to flattened and oblong); inner pistillate-zone florets 0 or 3-50 in 1-2 series, fertile, corollas usually ± zygomorphic (with reduced laminae and inner lips), sometimes reduced to tubes; innermost florets usually bisexual and fertile, sometimes functionally staminate, 15-40, corollas whitish to pinkish, usually zygomorphic (2-lipped, lobes recurved or coiling), sometimes nearly actinomorphic (lobes ± equal or lobes ± 0); anther basal appendages entire, apical appendages lanceolate; style branches relatively short (abaxially pilose). Cypselae fusiform, often slightly flattened, distally ± tapered into necks or beaks (0.5-1.6[-3] times bodies), ribs mostly 4-12, faces glabrous or hairy (hairs duplex, relatively short, apices rounded to apiculate), not glandular; pappi of 50+ stramineous to pinkish, barbellulate bristles. x = 24.