Stem solitary, erect, 6-13 cm tall, yellowish brown pilose. Basal leaves petiolate; petiole 2-5 cm, glabrous; leaf blade subreniform, 1.5-4 × 2-4.5 cm, glabrous, 2-ternate-palmatisect or sometimes pinnatisect; lobes lanceolate, 4-6 mm, apex acute, mucronate. Middle stem leaves smaller, pinnatisect. Distal stem leaves linear, margin entire or dentate. Distalmost stem leaves bracteal, linear, margin entire. Capitulum solitary, nodding. Involucre campanulate, 1.2-1.7 × 1.5-3.5 cm, outside purple pilose; phyllaries 8-12, in 2 rows, blackish purple, petaloid, oblong or suborbicular, 5-15 mm, submembranous, apex rounded or obtuse. Florets numerous, all tubular, purple, ca. 6 mm; tube ca. 1.5 mm; limb narrowly cylindric. Pappus pale brown, as long as tubular corolla. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Aug-Sep.