It grows in mountain forests and clay flats with alkali soils.

This is a perennial herb growing from a taproot, producing an erect stem up to 75 centimetres (30 in) tall.

The leaves are lance-shaped with sharply toothed edges, the largest near the base of the stem reaching 25 centimetres (10 in) in length.

Smaller leaves up to 10 centimetres (4 in) long occur higher on the stem.

The inflorescence is a narrow spikelike array of many flower heads lined with thick, overlapping, gland-dotted phyllaries.