Herbs, perennial, 25-60 cm tall, shortly papilliform hairy. Stems solitary or numerous, ascending or sometimes erect, sparsely shortly arachnoid, ± scabrous (base of hairs), sparsely sessile glandular. Leaves crowded, lower withered at anthesis, mid sessile, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, (2-)3-4 × 0.3-0.4 cm, surfaces (rarely only adaxial) gland-dotted, shortly papilliform hairy, ± shortly arachnoid (glabrescent), 3-veined, lateral veins sometimes distinct only near base, base cuneate, margin flat, scabrous, apex shortly acuminate, rarely long acuminate; upper (in synflorescence) reduced, linear-lanceolate or linear, ca. 1 × 0.1-0.15 cm, 1-veined. Capitula 3-6 in dense or slightly loose corymbiform synflorescences, rarely solitary, 12-18 mm in diam. Involucre broadly obconic to subhemispheric, 6-8 × 9-12 mm; phyllaries 3- or 4-seriate, membranous, greenish, sometimes pinkish violet at apex, margin scarious, erose-fimbriate, shortly arachnoid ciliate, abaxial surface glabrate or sparsely shortly arachnoid, 3-veined (outer 1-veined), rarely partly 1-veined, outer ovate-lanceolate, apex acute, inner larger, oblong or lanceolate-oblong, apex obtuse or acute. Ray florets 8-12, pinkish (or ?bluish) violet, lamina 12-16 mm; disk florets 35-60, pale yellow becoming pinkish, 7-8 mm, limb narrowly funnelform, lobes lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate. Achenes oblong, 4-5 mm, densely white strigose. Pappus white, entirely or partly tinged pinkish violet, 7-8 mm. Fl. Jul-Sep.

Koroljuk (in Krasnoborov, Fl. Siberia 13: 39-43. 2007) does not mention Galatella chromopappa for Siberia (Russia). Its status may need to be assessed.

Mountain steppes, grasslands on slopes; ca. 2000 m. W Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan].