Stems (robust) 60-150 cm, coarsely hispid (10-70 hairs/mm ² ) (hairs stiff). Leaves: basal large, to 250 × 100 mm; faces moderately to densely hispid (7-50 hairs/mm ² ); mid to distal ovate, thick. Heads usually in loose, open, spreading, flat-topped arrays, 3-20(-34) × (4.5-)6.5-18(-27) cm. Peduncles densely hispido-strigose. Phyllaries: outer hairy; inner oblong to slightly spatulate, 0.8-1.4 mm wide, glabrate to puberulent. Disc corolla lobes deep, 1.1-1.6 mm. Cypselae glabrous. 2n = 18, 36.

Flowering Aug-Oct. Prairies, glades, oak savannas, dry open areas especially on calcareous soils, disturbed grounds (railroads, etc.); 0-400+ m; Ont.; Ark., Conn., Del., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., Md., Mass., Mich., Mo., Nebr., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., R.I., S.C., S.Dak., Tenn., Tex., Va., W.Va., Wis.

Infrequent in prairie and decadent prairie habitats in northern Indiana and very local in southern Indiana in similar habitats. Now found mostly along roads and railroads.