Perennial herb, 0.6–1.2 m high, erect; roots fibrous, rather thick; stems thinly pubescent, branching only in the inflorescence, with prominently spiny interrupted wings.. Leaves sessile, spiny, pinnately lobed, the basal leaves largest, oblanceolate, 5–44 cm long, 1.5–16 cm wide, the basal leaves attenuate into a petioloid base, the more distal ones with semi-amplexicaul base, with 5–11 short-lobulate lobes with a few smaller basal lobes, with rather weak spines (becoming stronger in distal leaves) terminating the lobes and their lobules and with shorter marginal spines in between, glabrous above except for the midrib, crispate-setulose on midrib and veins beneath, sometimes setulose or arachnoid on the lamina beneath.. Capitula in a congested (later laxer) terminal cyme; involucre broadly campanulate, 13–17 mm long; phyllaries many, 4-seriate, the innermost distally mauve, lanceolate, to 14 mm long, acuminate or pungent to obtuse, margins with a few short spines, thinly arachnoid, glabrescent; receptacle with setae to 5 mm long.. Florets 69–92 per capitulum; corolla pale pink to pale mauve, tube 9–11 mm long, lobes 5–5.5 mm long, anthers pale.. Achenes blackish grey and shiny, 4.5–5.5 mm long, slightly compressed, somewhat curved, glabrous; pappus of many bristles 7–9 mm long, caducous as a single unit.
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