Leaves are oblanceolate and pinnately lobed to entire. The midribs and petioles are reddish.
Upper leaves are much smaller, alternate, entire, and clasp the stem.
Mature Stems grow to be 30 to 120 cm tall, and are stiff with short branches which are somewhat ridged and minutely hairy. Flower Flowers are numerous and showy and about 2.5 cm broad. They are a deep blue and are sessile or peduncled and are found on bracted branches. Heads are found in small remote clusters with narrowly oblong corollas. The flower heads only have ray flowers and the involucral bracts are in 2 series.