Biennials or perennials, 50-150 cm. Stems 1-3, glandular. Leaves mostly cauline; blades green, broadly oblanceolate to spatulate, 9-21 cm, margins dentate, faces glandular-villous; distal cauline leaves lanceolate to ovate, gradually reduced. Heads 3-5. Involucres obconic to hemispheric, 11-18 mm diam. Phyllaries 10-25 mm, outer narrowly lanceolate, apices attenuate. Ray florets 28-75+; corolla tubes hairy, laminae red to reddish purple (narrowly oblong to linear, ciliate), 7-15 mm. Disc corollas yellow (lobes and veins red-tinged). Cypselae 6-8 mm; pappus scales unequal, shorter 1-2 mm, longer 2-3 mm. 2n = 38. Flowering late spring-summer. Often common after fires, chaparral and woodlands, rocky or gravelly soils from various substrates; 300-2600 m; Ariz., Calif., Nev., Utah.

Plant: Annual or perennial herb < 15 dm, ± densely glandular Leaves: alternate, ± reduced upward; basal 10-20 cm, coarsely toothed, green INFLORESCENCE: primary inflorescence a head, each resembling a flower; heads generally 20 mm, 15 mm wide, radiate, 1-many; raceme-like; phyllaries 10-14 mm, linear to lanceolate, long-acuminate Flowers: Ray flowers 30-60; corollas 6-10 mm, linear, red, hairy; Disk flowers many; corollas 5-9 mm, yellow to orange, generally glabrous Fruit: achenes, 6-8 mm, very hairy, linear to club-like, black; pappus scales 1-3 mm, unequal Misc: Open sites, recent burns; 300-2500 m.; Jun-Aug