Distribution: Known only from Whatcom County in Washington; southern British Columbia to Washington, east across the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Swamps and other moist, open places, from sea level to middle elevations.

Flowers: July-September

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Historical in Washington (WANHP)

Stout, fibrous-rooted perennial, 6-20 dm. tall.

Leaves whorled, mostly in 3s or 4s, lance-elliptic to lance-ovate, narrowed to the petiole, 6-20 cm. long and 2-7 cm. wide, sharply serrate, densely covered beneath with short, spreading, curly hairs.

Heads clustered in a rather flat-topped inflorescence; involucre 6.5-9 mm. high, often purplish; flowers purple, all with tubular corollas, 9-22 in each head; pappus of numerous capillary bristles.

Achenes 5-angled, glandular.