Plants caulescent, 40-200 cm; fibrous rooted. Stems terete to slightly square, sparsely scabrous or glabrous (sometimes glaucous). Leaves: basal caducous; cauline opposite, sessile; blades lanceolate to ovate, 2-23 × 0.1-11 cm, bases round to caudate, margins finely serrate or entire, apices acute to acuminate, faces hispid, scabrous, or glabrous. Phyllaries 17-37 in 2-3 series, outer appressed, apices acute to acuminate, abaxial faces glabrous, hispid, pilose, or scabrous, sometimes stipitate-glandular. Ray florets 12-36; corollas yellow. Disc florets 70-225; corollas yellow. Cypselae 9-14 × 6-10 mm; pappi 1-4 mm.