Biennials or perennials, 6-15(-30+) cm (sometimes rhizomatous). Stems ± erect; internodes 6-8(-25) mm, ± strigose. Leaves basal and cauline, blades spatulate to oblanceolate, 15-60(-120+) × 2-6(-10) mm (margins strigoso-ciliate), faces usually glabrous, sometimes sparsely strigillose. Heads at tips of ± leafy stems. Involucres hemispheric or broader, (8-)12-25+ mm diam. Phyllaries (30-)60-80+ in (4-)5-6+ series, the longer ± lanceolate, (7-)12-13+ mm (l/w = 3-5), apices acute to attenuate (most hard, apiculate), abaxial faces sparsely strigillose or glabrous. Ray florets 15-55+; corollas usually blue adaxially, laminae 12-20 mm, glabrous abaxially. Disc florets (60-)100-150+; corollas (3.5-)4-5+ mm. Cypselae 3-4+ mm, faces ± hairy, hair tips forked or glochidiform; pappi persistent; on ray cypselae each a corona 0.1-0.5 mm; on disc cypselae each of 8-12+ lanceolate scales 0.5-1 mm plus 1-2+ subulate to setiform scales 1-4 mm. Flowering (May-)Jul-Aug(-Oct). Gravelly banks, canyon walls, with junipers, pinyons, and yellow pines; (1900-)2100-2500(-3300) m; Colo., N.Mex.