Herbs, perennial, 4–10 dm, glabrous or hairy, ?hairs simple and glandular?; rhizomatous, ?rhizomes horizontal, woody?. Stems 1–5, ?proximal to inflorescences?, erect to ascending, ?usually red when young?, usually simple. Leaves persistent, basal and cauline, ternate; stipules depressed-ovate or linear, margins serrate, doubly serrate, shallowly laciniate, incised, lobed, or dissected; petiole present or absent; blade trullate to widely trullate, 3–9 cm, herbaceous, leaflets 3, lanceolate to ovate-oblong, ?4–8 cm?, margins flat, incised, doubly serrate, ?teeth gland-tipped?, variably glandular and hairy. Inflorescences terminal, 3(–9)-flowered, loose, leafy panicles; bracts present; bracteoles absent. Pedicels present, ?1–7 on each branch?. Flowers 10–20 mm diam.; hypanthium ?often red or purple?, 4.5–8 mm, glabrous; sepals 5, erect, triangular-ovate; petals 5, white to pale rose, linear-lanceolate, ?unequal?; stamens 20 (in 3 whorls), shorter than petals; ?styles filiform, glabrous, stigmas capitate?. Fruits aggregated follicles, 5 (1–5 maturing), broadly ovoid to broadly elliptic-ovoid, slightly flattened, 4.5–8 mm, strigose to villous-strigose, glabrous, or glabrate, partially dehiscent abaxially and partially adaxially; hypanthium persistent; sepals persistent, erect to loose spreading at apices. Seeds 2 per follicle, light brown to reddish, longitudinally rugulose, glabrous. x = 9.
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