Perennials, 30-95 cm (taproots thickened). Stems branched, puberulent. Leaves opposite or alternate; petioles 10-70 mm; blades 3-nerved from bases, deltate-ovate, lance-ovate, or subcordate, 15-120 × 20-70 mm, bases acute, truncate, or subcordate, margins crenate, dentate, or serrate, apices attenuate, faces puberulent and gland-dotted. Heads (nodding in flower and fruit) in loose, corymbiform or paniculiform arrays. Peduncles 4-30 mm, pubescent. Involucres cylindric or obconic, 7-12 mm. Phyllaries 30-40 in 5-7 series, greenish, 4-5-striate, unequal, margins scarious; outer lance-ovate to lanceolate (pubescent, margins ciliate, apices long-acuminate), inner lanceolate to lance-linear (glabrous, apices acute to acuminate). Florets mostly 20-40(-70); corollas pale yellow-green, 6.5-7.5 mm. Cypselae 4-5 mm, hispidulous to hirtellous; pappi of 20-30 white, barbellate bristles. 2n = 18. Flowering Jul-Oct. Rocky hillsides, shaded forests, dry slopes, canyons; 1200-3000 m; Ariz., Ark., Calif., Colo., Idaho, Kans., Mo., Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.Mex., Oreg., Tex., Utah, Wash., Wyo.

Plant: Perennial 3-7 dm; root ± tuber-like; stems simple, puberulent Leaves: generally opposite, simple, veiny; petiole 5-30 mm; blade 3-12 cm, lanceolate to triangular-cordate, crenate to dentate, gland-dotted, puberulent INFLORESCENCE: primary inflorescence a head, each resembling a flower; heads 12-15 mm, ± loosely clustered, nodding; involucre widely cylindric to bell-shaped; phyllaries 30-40, loosely overlapping, outer generally lanceolate, puberulent, greenish, tips long-tapered, generally reflexed or curled, inner ± lanceolate, 5-7-veined Flowers: 20-40; corollas cylindric, ± white or tinged red; anther bases rounded or slightly cordate, tips ovate; style branches long, club-shaped, tips rounded Fruit: ± 4 mm, 10-ribbed, generally cylindric, hairy; pappus generally of many, generally scabrous bristles Misc: Among rocks, shaded forest; 1500-2700 m.