Herbs, perennial, 30-40 cm tall, gray puberulent, later glabrescent. Lowermost leaves suborbicular or oblong, 1.5-2 × 1-1.5 cm, 2-or 3-pinnatisect. Lower and middle stem leaves: petiole 0.4-0.7 cm; leaf blade suborbicular or oblong-ovate, 2-2.5 × 0.5-1.5 cm, 2(or 3)-pinnatisect; segments 4 or 5 pairs, oblong-ovate or elliptic, 5-8 × 4-6 mm; lobules elliptic, 3-4 × 1.5-2 mm; rachis narrowly winged. Uppermost leaves and leaflike bracts sessile, 1-or 2-pinnatisect. Synflorescence a dense, narrow, spikelike panicle. Involucre ovoid or subglobose, 1.5-2.5 mm in diam.; phyllaries ± glabrous. Marginal female florets 3-5. Disk florets 5-10, bisexual. Achenes ovoid or obovoid. Fl. and fr. Aug-Oct.