Gnaphalium involucratum var. ramosum Candolle; G. lineare Hayata (1908), not (Candolle) Schultz Bipontinus (1845); G. morii Hayata; G. sphaericum Willdenow.

Herbs, biennial or perennial, fibrous rooted; stolons usually absent [reportedly present in Australia and New Zealand]. Aerial stems ascending or erect, 30-40 cm tall, slender or rigid, simple to much branched, thinly and persistently white tomentose to densely lanate. Leaves leathery; basal leaves shortly linear, smaller than cauline ones, withering before anthesis; cauline leaves 6 to numerous, sessile, blade linear to linear-oblanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 1-10 × 0.2-0.5 cm (largest at midstem), abaxially silvery, tomentose or lanate, adaxially green, glabrate, and shiny, or sparsely lanate, 1-veined, base subclasping (not ampliate) or narrowed, margin entire, revolute, apex acute, mucronulate. Bracts subtending capitula 3-5, 10-15 mm, surpassing capitula, plus some shorter. Capitula in terminal or axillary, dense, hemispheric cymes 1-2 cm in diam. Involucre campanulate, 3-4.5 × 2.5-4 mm; phyllaries 3-seriate, tawny, rosy tinged, or brownish purple, shiny, scarious, outer ones shorter, oblong or obovate, apex rounded or obtuse, inner ones linear or oblong, apex obtuse or acute. Female florets 80-150. Bisexual florets 3-5(-7). Corolla of outer florets 2.5-3 mm; style of central florets 2.5-3.5 mm. Achenes oblong, compressed, 0.5-0.6 mm, papillose or minutely gland-dotted. Pappus white, 2.5-3.5 mm; bristles distinct or basally coherent, slender. Fl. Feb-Mar, Aug-Dec.

Slopes at middle elevations and on high mountains. Taiwan [Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines; Australia, Pacific islands (Hawaii, New Zealand)].