Herbs, perennial, 15-40 cm tall, shortly and capitately branched, pubescent, soon glabrescent, strongly aromatic. Leaves gland-dotted. Basal leaves: petiole 3-5 cm; leaf blade 2-or 3-pinnatisect. Middle stem leaves: petiole 3-5 cm; leaf blade elliptic or oblong, 2-6 × 1.5-3 cm, 2-pinnatisect; segments 5-7(or 8) pairs; lobes pectinately or deeply serrate, sometimes serrulate, with thick margins; midvein prominent abaxially. Uppermost leaves 1-or 2-pinnatisect; leaflike bracts lanceolate or linear, entire. Synflorescence a narrow, racemelike panicle. Capitula few, shortly pedunculate, nodding. Involucre hemispheric, 4-6 mm in diam.; scarious phyllary margin broad, brown. Marginal female florets 12-18. Disk florets 40-80, bisexual; corolla limb puberulent. Achenes oblong or oblong-obovoid. Fl. and fr. Jul-Oct. 2n = 36.