Stems arise from a woody base, mostly 5 to 20, erect, slender, branched above, usually green, rarely tinged with purplish-red; herbage with or without hairs, long soft hairs tufted in the axils of persistent leaf bases; ray and disc flowers yellow.
Perennial herb; branching woody base; leaves narrow, sometimes lobed, basal leaves may be present at flowering, hairy at the base; stem leaves 5 to 20; yellow flower heads have 7 to 14 ray and 25 to 75 disc flowers.
Habitat
Open habitats, forest edges, and roadsides.
Flower Characteristics
Flower heads of 25 to 75 or more disc flowers and 7 to 14 ray flowers arranged on branching stems of up to 12 flower heads; stems may be very hairy near their tip; bracts in 2 nearly equal series, outer series united at the base.
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Basal leaves sometimes present until flowering; stem leaves alternate, abundant; blades narrow, sometimes lobed, 3 to 7 lobes per leaf, 3/4 to 6 inches long, may be sparsely hairy, gland-dotted.
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Small one-seeded dry fruits do not split open at maturity; broader at top than base (upside down pyramid), <1/8 inch long, covered with long soft hairs; topped with 5 oval-like, 1/16 inch long bristle-like scales.