Herbs, annual; taproot slender. Stems arising directly from the root, spreading, solid, not fistulose or disarticulating into ringlike segments, sparsely glandular. Leaves usually quickly deciduous, basal, rosulate; petiole present; blade narrowly oblanceolate, margins entire. Inflorescences terminal, cymose, uniparous due to suppression of secondaries; branches dichotomous, not brittle or disarticulating into segments, round, sparsely glandular; bracts 3-4, positioned to side and opposite next distal subsequent branch or involucre, connate ca. 1/ 2 their length, lanceolate, awned, sparsely glandular. Peduncles spreading, peglike. Involucres 1 per node, tubular, cylindric, 6-angled; teeth 6, awn-tipped, awns uncinate. Flowers 3 per involucre; perianth white to pink, campanulate when open, cylindric when closed, pubescent abaxially; tepals 6, connate proximally, monomorphic, entire apically; stamens 9; filaments free, glabrous; anthers red to maroon, oblong. Achenes included, dark brown to black, not winged, 3-gonous, glabrous. Seeds: embryo curved. x = ca. 17.