Taprooted perennial. Stems branched above, with coarse cobwebby hairs especially below, (25)–60–130–(200) cm tall, strongly ribbed, not winged. Lvs lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, shallowly pinnatifid, green above, whitish beneath, (6)–10–25–(30) × (2)–3–7–(10) cm, with sparse soft multicellular hairs above and dense cobwebby tomentum beneath; lobes deltoid; prickles pale, 5–10 mm long. Capitula ovoid, waisted at flowering, erect, 2.5–3.5 × 2.5–3 cm, subsessile, in clusters of 3–4 or rarely solitary. Outer involucral bracts deltoid to lanceolate, with cobwebby hairs; apex acuminate, with strong spine 3–4–(6) mm long, suberect or erecto-patent. Inner involucral bracts linear, with short fine bristly hairs at least on margins; apex acute, not spinous, erect. Corolla purplish red, 18–25 mm long; lobes c. 3 mm long. Style not or barely exserted beyond corolla lobes. Achenes pale, narrowly obovoid, 3–4 × c. 1.5 mm; pappus 15–25 mm long; cilia on pappus bristles 3–5 mm long.
[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]
Flowering: Dec.–Jan.–(Feb.); Fruiting: (Dec.)–Jan.–Feb.