Plants (7-)13-41(-61) cm. Leaves: basal spatulate, acute to obtuse, margins entire-crenate to crenate; cauline (2-)4-13(-24) , proximal lanceolate to narrowly spatulate, (26-)44-102(-185) × (4-)5.7-12(-21.5) mm, margins serrate; mid to distal (7.8-)10.1-60(-132) × 1-8(-15.5) mm, margins entire or finely serrate distally. Heads in open wandlike to congested paniculiform arrays. Peduncles: bracteoles 1-3(-4). Phyllaries: shortest (1.4-)1.8-2.7(-3.4) mm. Cypselae sparsely strigose. 2n = 36.

Flowering Jul-Aug. Basaltic rocks, calcareous shorelines; ca. 200 m; Ont.; Mich.

Variety ontarioensis is found on basaltic rocks on the Keweenaw Peninsula and the eastern shoreline of Lake Superior, and on calcareous shorelines of central and northern Lake Huron, the Georgian Bay islands, and the tip of Bruce Peninsula, Ontario.