[1] It is native to western North America from British Columbia to northeastern California to Wyoming, where it is known from grassland, woodlands, forests, barren areas, and other habitat.

The largest leaves are at the base of the stem, measuring up to 20 centimeters long, lance-shaped with spiny sawtoothed edges.

Each bell-shaped head is lined with phyllaries each up to 2 centimeters long.

The fruit is an achene which may be well over a centimeter in length including its pappus.

subsquarrosa is an uncommon type known only from southwestern Montana and northwestern Wyoming.