Annuals or biennials, 40–200+ cm. Stems glabrous to tomentose; teeth of wings to 10 mm, wing spines 2–10 mm. Leaves: basal tapering to winged petioles, blades 10–40 cm, margins 1–2×-pinnately lobed; cauline sessile, shorter, margins less divided, glabrous or ± hairy. Heads borne singly or in corymbiform arrays, sometimes a few axillary, at least terminal head usually conspicuously pedunculate, often nodding, 20–40 mm. Peduncles 2–30 cm, unwinged distally or throughout, finely tomentose. Involucres hemispheric, 20–60 mm × 20–70 mm. Phyllaries lanceolate to ovate, outer and middle with appressed bases 2–4 mm wide and spreading to reflexed, appendages 2–7 mm wide, proximally glabrous or ± tomentose, distally glabrous to minutely scabridulous. spine tips 1–4 mm, inner phyllaries with unarmed, straight or twisted tips. Corollas purple, 15–28 mm, lobes 2.5–3 times longer than throat. Cypselae golden to brown, 4–5 mm; pappus bristles 13–25 mm. 2n = 16.