Perennials, 60-150(-250) cm; fibrous-rooted. Stems sparsely arachnose. Leaves (crowded) sessile; blades oblong to elliptic, lance-ovate, or ovate, mostly 8-20 × 3-7 cm (bases clasping to subclasping), margins coarsely and irregularly toothed, abaxial faces villous and sessile-glandular, adaxial hirtellous and sessile-glandular. Heads in corymbiform arrays. Involucres cylindro-campanulate, 9-12 × 6-9 mm (lengths mostly 2 times diams.). Phyllaries creamy white, powdery puberulent, sometimes sparsely glandular (mid phyllaries 2.5-3 mm wide). Corollas creamy white. Pappi persistent, bristles basally connate.

Flowering Jun-Oct(-Nov). Brackish to fresh swamps, marshes, hammocks, lake shores, ditches, and canals; 0-10 m; Fla.