Herbs, perennial, 100-150 cm tall. Middle stem leaves ± sessile; leaf blade oblong, 4-9 × 2.5-4 cm, sparsely gray pubescent or glabrescent, 1-or 2-pinnatipartite to subpinnatisect; segments 4 or 5 pairs; lobes or lobules linear or linear-lanceolate, 8-25(-35) × 2.5-3.5 mm, rachis narrowly winged, acuminate apically. Uppermost leaves pinnatipartite or pinnatisect; leaflike bracts lobed or entire, latter linear or linear-lanceolate. Synflorescence a conical panicle, relatively small. Capitula crowded at branch tips, subsessile. Involucre ellipsoid or oblong-ovoid, 2-3 mm in diam.; phyllaries pale, sometimes with narrow dark midrib, arachnoid puberulent or glabrescent. Marginal female florets 6-8. Disk florets 10-20, bisexual. Achenes oblong. Fl. and fr. Aug-Nov.