The plant grows in open areas such as forest clearings and occurs in the chaparral, especially after wildfire.

The stems and foliage are hairy to densely woolly with thick coats of cobwebby fibers.

The abundant leaves are lance-shaped to scoop-shaped and up to 10 centimeters (4 inches) long, mostly without teeth along the edges but sometimes wavy or coarsely lobed.

[2] The flower head is large with woolly lance-shaped phyllaries each over a centimeter (0.4 inches) long.

The center of the head is packed with a large number of tiny deep yellow disc florets.