Plant: Rhizomatous perennial forb to 60 cm; stems erect, ± glabrous, glaucous Leaves: leaves opposite, linear to deeply lobed 4-10 cm long, sessile, glabrous, sparsely short-rough-hairy, glaucous, sometimes ciliate Inflorescence: primary inflorescence a head, each resembling a flower; heads few; peduncles 3-13 cm; involucre 12-25 mm diam; phyllaries generally unequal, 3-8 mm, < disk, oblong to ovate, tip obtuse or abruptly pointed to acute, ciliate, (sub)glabrous; chaff scales 8-10 mm, entire or 3-toothed, tip hairy Flowers: Ray flowers (0)10-18, sterile; ligules ± 1 cm, yellow; Disk flowers: many; corollas 4-5 mm, lobes red, tube short, throat base often swollen, lobes triangular; style appendages triangular Fruit: achenes, ± 3 mm, oblanceolate to obovate, ± compressed; sides rounded; pappus scales ± 2 mm Misc: Irrigated fields, roadsides; generally < 300 m.; Jun-Nov