Plants (50-)100-250+ cm (perennating bases ± erect, internodes winged, at least proximal). Leaves all or mostly alternate (proximal sometimes opposite); blades lance-ovate or lance-elliptic to lance-linear, 5-12(-22+) × 1-6(-12+) cm, sometimes pinnately lobed, bases ± cuneate, ultimate margins usually coarsely toothed to subentire, sometimes sinuate, apices acute, faces ± scabrellous to strigillose. Heads (20-)60-100+ in corymbiform to paniculiform arrays. Involucres ± obconic to turbinate, 3-5 mm diam. Phyllaries 8-12+ in 1-2 series, ± erect, spatulate to oblanceolate, 2.5-5(-7) mm. Ray florets (1-)2-3(-7); laminae 3-4(-7+) mm. Disc florets 8-12(-15); corollas ochroleucous or white. Cypselae dark brown to blackish, oblanceolate, 3.5-5+ mm, faces ± scabrellous; pappi 1.5-3+ mm. 2n = 32, 34. Flowering (Jul-)Sep-Oct(-Dec). Bottomlands, flood plains, thickets, borders of woodlands, disturbed sites; 10-300 m; Ala., Ark., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Kans., Ky., La., Md., Miss., Mo., N.C., Ohio, Okla., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va., W.Va. Plants of Verbesina virginica from near the Atlantic Coast with margins of some or most leaf blades sinuate to pinnately 3-5(-7+)-lobed have been called V. laciniata or V. virginica var. laciniata.