An annual herb up to 3(–5) m tall, but mostly much smaller; stems ribbed, finely to coarsely hairy, sometimes branching near the top. Leaves alternate, rather crowded, simple, sessile; blade elliptical to linear, up to 25 cm × 5 cm, base cuneate, apex acuminate, margins toothed, hairy on both surfaces, but glabrescent. Inflorescence a head, solitary or few to many in a terminal, lax to rather dense, leafy cyme; peduncle stout, pubescent; involucre ovoid to nearly globose, 8–25 mm × 1–15 mm, involucral bracts in 4–6 rows, pale green often with darker tip, outer ones linear, short, middle ones often hardened at base, tips usually leaf-like, inner ones oblong to narrow-lanceolate and acuminate, somewhat dry membranous. Flowers normally bisexual and fertile, long exserted; corolla 7.5–16 mm long, lower half tubular, gradually expanding above, bright blue to pale mauve, pink, purple, violet or almost white, sometimes flushed pale yellow or green, lobes 5, linear, 2–7 mm long, glandular; stamens 5, slightly exserted, anthers united into a tube; ovary inferior, style exserted, 2-branched. Fruit a narrowly obovoid achene up to 8 mm long, with 10 equal, narrow ribs, dark brown to black, densely appressed hairy; pappus in 2 whorls, outer pappus of up to 2 mm long barbed bristles, inner pappus of up to 11 mm long barbed bristles.

PROTAbase:Vernonia galamensis

The leaves are cooked in porridge, or drunk as a tea to treat chest pain. The plant is used to treat stomach pain.