Tufted herb to 45 cm high, remants of previous season's leaves retained at base, mainly glabrous. Leaves mainly radical, linear, usually entire, 4–30 cm long, 1–3 mm wide, very rarely with several small linear lobes. Scapes with some linear leaves, capitula usually above tips of uppermost leaves; bracts 25–40, 2–3-seriate, unequal, glabrous; ligules 10–15 mm long, white or mauve. Cypselas obovate, 2.4–3.4 mm long, 1.8–2.3 mm wide, brown, smooth, glabrous, concolorous or discolorous with the wing-like margins paler the the body; wing-like margins thin, entire; pappus 0.1–0.4 mm long, bristles joined at base, not exceeding the apical notch of the cypsela. Flowers mostly Jun.–Feb.
