Herbs, perennial, erect, 50-90 cm tall, Rootstock obliquely descending, 30-50 cm × 5-10 mm, thickest below stem. Stems several clustered, 8-10 mm thick, many branched above middle, striate when dried, glabrous, with many sterile lateral branches. Leaves alternate, larger toward apex; stipules absent; basal scale-leaves soon lost; petiole almost absent; leaf blade oblanceolate or narrowly lanceolate, (2-)3-11 × 0.5-1.8(-2.2) cm, base attenuate, margin usually finely serrulate above middle, apex acuminate or acute; midrib prominent on both surfaces, lateral veins many, inconspicuous. Inflorescence a terminal pseudumbel plus 3-7 small subterminal pseudumbels, ± flat-topped; primary involucral leaves 3-5, ovate to oblong, 0.5-1(-3) × 0.4-1 cm, margin subentire, base cuneate, primary rays 3-5, to 1.6 cm; cyathophylls 2, yellowish, similar to primary involucral leaves but smaller, 0.4-1 × 0.2-0.8 cm. Cyathium stipitate; involucre campanulate, ca. 2.5 × 2-2.5(-3.5) mm, exterior glabrous, interior tomentose; lobes rounded to ovate-oblong, ciliate at margin and inside; glands 5, pale brown, rounded [transversely elliptic], entire. Male flowers many, exserted from involucre. Female flower: ovary pedicel up to 5 mm, exserted from cup; ovary smooth, glabrous; styles connate ca. 1/2 length, persistent; style arms capitate. Capsule subglobose, 4-5 × 4-5 mm, smooth, sometimes sparsely spotted. Seeds ovoid-globose, 2.5-3 × ca. 2 mm, yellow-brown, smooth with adaxial ridge; caruncle present, sessile. Fl. and fr. Jun-Sep.
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