Perennial rhizomatous herb, 5–45 cm high; stems simple, erect, with conspicuous whitish arachnoid hairs throughout. Leaves crowded at base and cauline, elliptic-oblanceolate, 2.5–7 cm long, 3–22 mm wide, upper surface with scattered hispid and arachnoid hairs, usually with stipitate glands, sometimes also with sessile glands, or glands absent; apex acute to acuminate, sometimes mucronate. Capitula solitary, terminal, 2–5 cm diam.; involucral bracts elliptic, 0.5–2 cm long, yellow to gold (outer often brown), minutely scabrous on abaxial surface, apex acute to acuminate, outer bracts reflexed at maturity; florets yellow, female florets in a single outer series. Cypselas c. 2 mm long; pappus yellow, 5–9 mm long. Flowers Jan.–Mar.
GipP, EGU, HSF, HNF, MonT, HFE, VAlp. Also NSW, ACT, Tas. Moderately common in moist alpine herbfields and grasslands, sometimes forming extensive colonies.
