Plant: Annual, grayish, cobwebby to tomentose; stems 1-several from base, ± erect, generally not forked, < 55 cm, grayish to green, cobwebby; central axis generally dominant Leaves: < 20 mm, simple, alternate, generally oblanceolate, acute, flexible, grayish to green, cobwebby; uppermost generally < 1.5 X heads INFLORESCENCE: primary inflorescence a head, each resembling a flower; heads disciform, solitary or in loose, ± hemispheric groups of 2-4, not restricted to forks and tips of branches, longest 3.5-4.5 mm, 2.5-3 mm wide, grayish, largest groups 5-9 mm diam; chaff scales in spiral ranks, longest 2.7-3.3 mm, body generally ± hard Flowers: Pistillate flowers in 4-8 series; inner 9-30 flowers not subtended by chaff scales; corollas tubular; Disk flowers 4-7, bisexual, not subtended by chaff scales; corollas 1.9-2.8 mm, lobes 4, generally bright reddish purple Fruit: Fruit: achenes, outer fruit erect, 0.9-1 mm, straight, compressed side-to-side; inner fruit generally sparsely papillate, pappus bristles 17-23, 1.9-3 mm, falling in a ring Misc: Bare, rocky, or grassy places, drainages; 0-1800 m.; Mar-May