Annual, glabrous, laticiferous herb, dwarf to erect and branched, 5–40 cm tall. Leaves are usually glaucous, with basal leaves arranged in a rosette, obovate to oblanceolate, undivided to pinnately lobed, 3–15 cm long and 1–4 cm wide, tapering to the petiole and with spinulose-dentate margins. Caulines are sessile and semi-amplexicaul to auriculate. Heads are yellow, solitary, and borne on peduncles in branched stems, or appearing sessile in dwarf rosetted plants. Fruits are achenes, strongly tetragonal-furrowed, truncate to slightly tapering at the apex; outer achenes are dark brown and about 2.5 mm long, while inner achenes are white and up to 4 mm long.