Herbs, perennial, caespitose, 50-60 cm tall, with woody rootstock and branches, much branched. Leaves abaxially glabrescent or puberulent, gland-dotted; middle stem leaves: petiole 2.5-3.5 cm; leaf blade ovate or elliptic, 4-5.5 × 2.5-3.5 cm, 3(or 4)-pinnatisect; segments 5-8 pairs; lobules minute, pectinate or shortly linear, 1-3 × (0.5-)1-1.5 mm; rachis serrate, occasionally serrulate; midrib obviously prominent abaxially. Uppermost leaves and leaflike bracts 2-or 3-pinnatisect. Synflorescence of many axillary conical to cylindric panicles forming large compound panicle. Capitula many. Involucre globose, 4-5 mm in diam.; phyllaries glabrescent. Marginal female florets 8-12. Disk florets 25-35, bisexual. Achenes obovoid. Fl. and fr. Aug-Oct.