Spreading Blazing Star

Plants 35–95 cm. Corms globose to depressed-globose. Stems moderately to densely strigoso-hirtellous. Leaves: basal and proximal cauline 1-nerved, narrowly oblanceolate to linear-oblanceolate, 90–180 × 2–4(–7) mm, gradually or abruptly reduced distally, essentially glabrous (proximal margins sparsely ciliate). Heads in loose, (columnar) racemiform arrays. Peduncles (divergent-ascending, initially diverging at angles of 45–90°) 10–25(–30) mm. Involucres turbinate-campanulate, (5–)6–7.5 × 5–7 mm. Phyllaries in (2–)3–4(–5) series, broadly obovate (outer) to broadly oblong-obovate, strongly unequal, sparsely strigoso-villous (outer) or essentially glabrous, margins with (pinkish purple) hyaline borders, sometimes slightly erose, usually densely ciliate, apices rounded to subtruncate. Florets 7–12; corolla tubes pilose inside. Cypselae 2.5–2.8 mm; pappi: lengths equaling or surpassing corollas, bristles barbellate.