Shrubs, 30-150 cm. Stems much branched from bases, pubescent, often gland-dotted. Leaves opposite; petioles 4-12 mm; blades 3-nerved from bases, broadly ovate to deltate, 10-60 × 10-30 mm, bases truncate, has-tate, or subcordate, margins usually toothed (1-3 sets of sharp teeth near bases), rarely subentire, apices attenuate, faces minutely pubescent. Heads in loose, paniculiform arrays. Peduncles 5-40 mm, pubescent and sometimes gland-dotted. Involucres cylindric to campanulate, 8-12 mm. Phyllaries 17-22 in 4-6 series, greenish, often purple-tinged, 4-5-striate, unequal, margins scarious (apices acute to acuminate or mucronate, minutely pubescent); outer lance-ovate to narrowly lanceolate (glabrous or sparsely pubescent), inner narrowly lanceolate to linear (glabrous). Florets 13-25; corollas pale yellow-green, often purple-tinged, 7-8.2 mm. Cypselae 3-5 mm, hispidulous, strigose, or glandular-pubescent; pappi of 28-40 smooth or barbellulate bristles.
Plant: Subshrub to 80 cm Leaves: leaves mostly opposite, petiole well-developed, blades ovate to triangular, coarsely toothed, 3-6 cm long, those of upper branches reduced References: L. Benson & R. Darrow. Trees and Shrubs of the Southwestern Deserts. W.B. McDougal. Seed plants of Northern Arizona. Kearney & Peebles. Arizona Flora. ASU specimens.