Perennials, 20-60+ cm (caudices relatively thick, fibrous-rooted). Stems erect, not branched (± scapiform). Leaves basal and cauline; alternate; ± petiolate (basal) or sessile; blades (usually appressed to strictly ascending) usually 1-nerved, linear to oblanceolate or spatulate, margins entire or remotely dentate (involute in C. pseudoliatris), faces glabrous or hairy, often gland-dotted. Heads discoid, in corymbiform to paniculiform arrays. Involucres campanulate to hemispheric, 3-12 mm diam. Phyllaries persistent, (5-)8-40 in (1-)2-5+ series, not notably nerved, ovate to elliptic or lanceolate, unequal (herbaceous to scarious). Receptacles convex, paleate or epaleate. Florets 12-35; corollas usually lavender to dark magenta or pinkish purple, sometimes blue, throats funnelform (sometimes externally gland-dotted, lengths 4-6 times diams.); styles: bases not enlarged, glabrous, branches linear-clavate (± papillose distally). Cypselae prismatic, ca. 10-ribbed, scabrellous to hispid-strigose, sometimes gland-dotted; pappi persistent, of 35-40, barbellulate to barbellate (subequal) bristles in 1-2 series. x = 10. Trilisa and Litrisa have been maintained as separate genera (R. M. King and H. Robinson 1987), distinguished primarily by their smaller heads with fewer phyllaries and their lack of receptacular paleae. In other features, their close similarity and relationship to Carphephorus seem evident, and other recent students of the group at species level (e.g., H. J.-C. Hebert 1968; M. D. Correa and R. L. Wilbur 1969; A. Cronquist 1980) have treated the species within a single genus. Forthcoming molecular studies suggest that one or both segregates may be justifiably recognized.