Perennials (sometimes suffrutescent), 2-6(-10+) dm; usually ± rhizomatous. Leaves mostly cauline at flowering; sessile or petiolate, petioles ± winged (often clasping at bases); blades mostly obovate to oblanceolate, spatulate, or linear, bases cuneate, margins usually toothed (rarely entire), apices obtuse to acute, abaxial faces usually resin-gland-dotted. Heads ± discoid, sessile, not individually bracteate, in clusters of 1-5+ in spiciform or paniculo-spiciform arrays 5-10 mm diam., each cluster subtended by 1-2 lanceolate to spatulate or linear bracts. Involucres ± cylindric to fusiform, 2-3+ mm diam. Phyllaries 8 in 4 decussate pairs, the outer ovate, inner lanceolate, all ± chartaceous, margins entire, tips ± spinose or cuspidate (abaxial faces of inner 4 usually resin-gland-dotted distally). Florets (2-)4(-5+); corollas white or pink to purple, tubes longer than abruptly funnelform throats, lobes 5, lance-linear, unequal (abaxial sinus deepest). Cypselae ± clavate, sometimes ± flattened, 8-10-nerved or -ribbed, closely strigillose to hirsutulous; pappi persistent, of 6-10 ± laciniate to aristate scales, 2(-3+) of aristate scales each with awnlike arista plicate (2-folded) distally. x = 14-.