Ascending to erect rhizomatous perennial, 5–55 cm high; stems simple or few-branched, cottony and minutely glandular. Leaves sessile, more or less rosetted at base, oblanceolate to almost linear, becoming narrower upwards, (20–)30–90 mm long, 3–14(–21) mm wide, apex obtuse to acute, usually shortly mucronate; upper surface of rosette leaves hispid to scabrous from retained bases of coarse septate hairs, sometimes overlain with fine cottony hairs; lower surface with cottony hairs, interspersed with numerous sessile or subsessile glands; cauline hairs often with cottony hairs only. Capitula solitary, depressed-hemispherical, 20–35 mm diam. at anthesis; involucre 5–8-seriate; bracts wrinkled, laciniate towards apex, woolly near base; outer bracts straw-coloured, often golden-brown at apex; intermediate bracts spathulate, 8–14 mm long, clawed, opaque, pale or lemon-yellow, rarely golden-yellow. Florets numerous, some outer ones female. Cypselas 2–3.5 mm long, 4-ribbed, glabrous, brown with pale longitudinal ribs; pappus bristles 15–25, c. free, 4–6 mm long, white. Flowers (Sep.–)Oct.–Jan.(–Feb.)