It is an herbaceous perennial growing up to 120 cm (47 in) tall, with bright yellow daisy-like composite flower heads.

The leaf bases are attenuate to cordate in shape and the margins of the leaves are usually entire or serrate, or sometimes lacerate.

The cups that hold the flowers called receptacles, are hemispheric to ovoid in shape with paleae 2.5–4 millimetres (0.10–0.16 in) long, the apices are obtuse to acute in shape with the ends usually glabrous and the apical margins ciliate.

The flower heads have 10 to 15 ray florets with laminae elliptic to oblanceolate in shape and 15–25 centimetres (5.9–9.8 in) long and 3–6 millimetres (0.12–0.24 in) wide.

[citation needed] The Latin specific epithet fulgida means "shining" or "glistening".