Plants (2-)5-6+ dm. Stems glabrous or glabrate. Leaves mostly cauline; blades filiform, 5-9+ cm × 1-3+ mm, l/w = 25-50+, abaxially glabrate (pitted, awl-shaped hairs in pits), adaxially puberulent, glabrescent (sometimes pitted). Heads in corymbi-form arrays. Peduncles 6-20+ mm. Involucres narrowly campanulate, 7-9(-10+) × 4-5+ mm. Phyllaries 30-40+ in 5-6+ series, sparsely tomentose, glabrescent, margins arachno-ciliolate, the outer lanceolate to subulate, 1-3 mm, inner oblong to lanceolate, 5-7+ mm, tips acute. Florets 10-12+. Cypselae 3-4 mm; pappi fuscous to purplish, outer scales 25+, 0.1-0.5 mm, contrasting with 35+, 6-7+ mm inner bristles. 2n = 34.

Flowering Jul-Aug. Flood plains, terraces; 100-200 m; Ark., Okla.