Plants 40-120 cm. Corms globose. Stems glabrous or sparsely to moderately pilose distally or throughout. Leaves: basal and proximal cauline 1-nerved, narrowly oblanceolate, 60-170(-200) × 2-7(-11) mm, abruptly to gradually reduced distally (becoming linear, spreading-ascending), essentially glabrous or sparsely pilose (abaxially), gland-dotted (proximal margins piloso-ciliate). Heads in loose to dense, racemiform to spiciform arrays (internodes 1-7 mm). Peduncles 0 or (ascending) 1-10(-80) mm. Involucres turbinate to campanulate-cylindric, (7-)8-10 × 5-6 mm. Phyllaries in (3-)4-5(-6) series, oblong, unequal, essentially glabrous, margins with hyaline borders (0.2-0.4 mm wide), erose to lacerate, ciliolate, apices usually rounded, rarely acute. Florets (6-)7-12(-13, mostly 9-12 in Del. and N.J.); corolla tubes pilose inside. Cypselae (2.5-)3-4 mm; pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles barbellate. 2n = 20.

Flowering (Aug-)Sep-Oct(-Nov). Old fields, pine barrens, scrub oak-pine sandhills, openings in pine, oak, and oak-hickory woods, tidal marsh edges, sandy fields, dune hollows, wet sand near beaches, edges of tidal marshes, sand to sandy clay-loam; (0-)10-500 m; Del., Md., N.J., N.C., Pa., S.C., Va.