Erect or ascending herb to c. 60 cm high, mostly unbranched below inflorescence, arising annually from a short perennial rhizome. Leaves sessile or the lower pseudopetiolate, upper leaves usually auriculate, oblanceolate to oblong, 5–12(–18) cm long, 4–15(–22) mm wide, dentate, denticulate or shallowly pinnatifid; upper surface shortly hispid to glabrescent; lower surface glabrous or with tubercle-based, wispy hairs. Inflorescence with c. 5–20(–30) capitula; capitula non-radiate; involucre plumply cylindric or narrowly campanulate, 8–10 mm long, cobwebbed near base; bracts (14–)16–21, usually recurved at apices at or soon after anthesis; bracteoles present; florets c. 40–70, bisexual and unisexual. Cypselas cylindric or shortly tapered at ends, 2–2.7 mm long, blackish, shortly but densely pubescent in rows; pappus of slender hairs 6–9 mm long, deciduous. Flowers mostly Oct.–Dec.
LoM, Wim, GleP, VVP, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, NIS, EGL, EGU, HSF, HNF, Strz, MonT, VAlp. Also WA, SA, NSW (?extinct), Tas. Uncommon in Victoria, mostly confined to heavy soils (swamp margins, volcanic clays etc) in cooler districts of the south, mostly west of Melbourne, but with scattered occurrences to the east as far as Yarram area.
