Rosette: monocarpic, caulescent, stem height up to 1.5 m, most individuals with the upper half of the stem covered by marcescent leaves, some entirely marcescent, a few entirely naked. Leaf: open sheath, sessile, linear, adaxially glabrescent, glossy green aspect, length 15–40 cm, width 0.5–1.8 cm, ratio 20–45:1, secondary nerves parallel, 1.5–2.5 mm apart. Inflorescence: terminal, compound, primary branching monochasial, corymboid, length 30–80 cm, branched from the base. Capitulum: diameter 15–18 mm (densely cottony), ligular circle 16–22 mm, covered by the tips of the sterile phyllaries, disc 8–12 mm, young ray ligules white, turning pink or reddish when old (photo Serge Aubert).