Stems villous-hirsute (hairs antrorse to spreading). Leaves: basal blades lanceolate to narrowly elliptic to ovate or oblanceolate, 2-4.5 cm wide, lengths ± 3 times widths, bases cuneate, margins entire or serrate, faces glabrous or moderately hairy; cauline sessile or petiolate, blades lanceolate to narrowly ovate, somewhat smaller distally, bases attenuate to cuneate, margins entire or denticulate, faces glabrous or moderately hairy. Phyllaries reflexed, 1-2.2 × 0.2 cm, mostly strigoso-hispid. Receptacles 11-18 mm diam.; palea margins ciliate, faces glabrous. Ray florets 8-14; laminae 8-20(-30) mm. 2n = 38, ca. 76.

Flowering late summer-fall. Dry to mesic, sunny to shady sites; 0-700 m; Ala., Del., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Ky., Md., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., Tenn., Va., W.Va.

This is a rare species found in dry, open woodland. It is slender, usually 4-8 dm high, and grows in colonies.