Herbs, perennial, 40-80[-95] cm tall. Rootstock cylindric, up to 25 cm × 6-15 mm. Stems single, sometimes branched basally, 5-9 mm thick, upper parts several branched, glabrous or very sparsely pubescent. Leaves alternate; stipules absent; petiole absent or nearly so; leaf blade ovate-oblong, ovate-elliptic, or elliptic, 1-4 × 0.3-0.7 cm, abaxially pale green, light gray when dried, especially when young, adaxially green, base attenuate, cuneate, or subtruncate, margin entire, apex obtuse or rounded; midrib prominent abaxially, lateral veins inconspicuous. Inflorescence a terminal, often compound, pseudumbel, sometimes with subterminal cymes or small pseudumbels; primary involucral leaves (3-)5-8[-10], yellow, ovate-elliptic to broadly ovate, 1-2.5 cm × 0.6-0.9 mm, margin entire, base subtruncate, apex rounded, primary rays (3-)5-7(-10), 1-3 cm; secondary involucral leaves 2 or 3; cyathophylls 2 or 3, yellow, ovate or subrounded, 6-10 × 4-8 mm, base subtruncate, apex rounded. Cyathium sessile; involucre cuplike, ca. 3 × 3.5 mm, lobes ovate-triangular, densely white pilose inside; glands 4, pale brown, reniform-rounded, entire. Male flowers many, exserted from involucre. Female flower: ovary pedicel 3-6 mm, exserted from cup; ovary densely tuberculate; styles connate below middle, persistent but easily lost; style arms slightly 2-lobed. Fruiting peduncle 4-6 mm; capsule globose, ca. 5.5 × 5.5 mm, densely long tuberculate, base compressed, apex acute. Seeds ellipsoid, ca. 3 × 2 mm, light brown, shiny; caruncle trigonous-peltate, sessile. Fl. and fr. Mar-Jul.
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