Annual, cobwebby-canescent herb, up to 35 cm tall. Indumentum of rather long glossy hairs. Branches winged, wings sinuate-dentate to dentate. Radical and lower leaves deeply pinnately lobed, oblong, narrow, up to 12 cm long; cauline smaller and less dissected to irregularly dentate, sessile decurrent forming the stem-wings. Heads light yellow, rarely pinkish, about 20 cm across, solitary. Involucral bracts sparsely cobwebby, with up to 20 mm long, yellowish spines, each spine with 2-3 prickles at its base on each side.