Loosely grey-tomentose, usually much branched with short primary stem and several ascending or procumbent branches arising below the primary glomerule, branches may be branched once more. Most leaves congested below the glomerules, oblong-spathulate and obtuse, more rarely lanceolate, the upper about as long as the glomerules. Glomerules made of 6-12 capitula. Involucre 3.5-5 mm long, indistinctly 5-angled, phyllaries 5-seriate, outer and intermediate lanceolate, acuminate (mucro 1-1.5 mm long), pilose on the margins and in the upper part, inner phyllaries obtuse, long-ciliate at the margins; phyllaries at fruiting-time divergent to nearly stellately expanded, brownish. Female florets in the axils of the phyllaries, in the centre c. 5-7 bisexual florets and a varying number of filiform female ones. Cypselas 0.8 mm long, oblong-obovate, minutely papillose; pappus white, caducous, 2-2.5 mm long, scabrid.

Fl.Per.: March-October.

Type: Algeria: Mzab, Metlili, Pomel (MPU).

Distribution: S Spain, North Africa, SW Asia.