Annual herbs to 15 cm high, simple or branched. Leaves elliptic to linear or obovate to oblanceolate, 2–30 mm long, 0.5–4 mm wide, apex often hyaline, scale-like hairs usually present. Compound heads club-shaped or spike-like, 11–22 mm long, 3–7 mm diam. Capitula 20–80 per compound head; capitulum-subtending bracts 1.3–2.8 mm long; capitular bracts 4–10 in c. 2 rows, flat to concave, margins entire. Florets (1–)3–5(–8) per capitulum; corolla 5-lobed. Cypselas c. obovoid, 0.3–0.5 mm long; pappus (deciduous with corolla) usually a small, jagged ring 0.1–0.2 mm high, sometimes with several bristles c. half as long as corolla-tube. Flowers c. Sep.–Oct.