Herbs, perennial, 20-70 cm tall, shortly capitately branched or not apically, puberulent, soon glabrescent. Leaves gland-dotted; basal and middle stem leaves: petiole 3-6 cm, basal leaf blade oblong or ovate, (1 or)2-pinnatisect. Lower and middle stem leaves: leaf blade elliptic-oblong or elliptic-ovate, 4-14(-18) × 2-7(-9) cm, 1-or 2-pinnatisect; segments 5-7; lobes lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, pectinately and deeply serrate; teeth (3-)5-13 × (1-)2-3 mm. Uppermost leaves pectinate-pinnatisect; leaflike bracts linear, entire. Synflorescence a narrow panicle. Involucre globose or hemispheric, 3-4 mm in diam.; phyllary margin brown, lacerate. Marginal female florets 5-9. Disk florets 18-25, bisexual. Achenes obovoid. Fl. and fr. Jul-Oct. 2n = 36.