Plants 8-20(-30+) dm. Stems puberulent, glabrescent. Leaves mostly cauline; blades ± lanceolate, 12-25+ cm × 20-60+ mm, l/w = (3.5-)4-7+, abaxially scabrellous (hairs awl-shaped), sometimes glabrescent, not or sparsely resin-gland-dotted, adaxially strigillose, glabrescent, not resin-gland-dotted. Heads in corymbiform-scorpioid arrays. Peduncles 1-12(-20+) mm. Involucres broadly campanulate to hemispheric, 4-5+ × 4-5 mm. Phyllaries 30-40+ in 4-5 series, glabrate, margins ciliolate, the outer lance-ovate, 1-2 mm, inner oblong, 3.5-5 mm, tips acute or rounded-apiculate. Florets (9-)18-24(-30). Cypselae 2.5-3.5 mm; pappi usually purplish, sometimes stramineous, outer scales 20-25, 0.5-1 mm, contrasting with 35-40+, 4.5-6+ mm inner bristles. 2n = 34. Flowering Jun-Sep. Flood plains; 10-300 m; Ont.; Ala., Ark., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Kans., Ky., La., Md., Mich., Miss., Mo., Nebr., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va., W.Va.