Herbs ca. 1 m tall, perennial. Stem solitary, erect, apically branched and glandular hairy. Lower and middle stem leaves with petiole 3-7 cm, ± winged, basally semiamplexicaul; leaf blade 7-17 × 4-13 cm, lyrately pinnatisect, abaxially glandular hairy, base cuneate, margin dentate; lateral lobes 1 or 2 pairs, ± elliptic; terminal lobe broadly triangular-hastate, ovate, or triangular, comprising most of blade, apex acute to acuminate. Upper stem leaves similar to middle stem leaves but smaller; uppermost leaves sessile, linear-lanceolate to elliptic, not divided. Synflorescence narrowly racemiform or paniculiform, with few to several capitula. Capitula with usually 15-25 florets; peduncle 0.5-3 cm. Involucre cylindric to narrowly campanulate, 1.2-1.5 × 0.4-0.7 cm. Phyllaries dark green, abaxially densely glandular hispid, apex acute to obtuse; outer phyllaries narrowly triangular to lanceolate. Florets purple. Achene ca. 5 mm; body dark brown, broadly ellipsoid, compressed, lateral ribs broadened, apex attenuate into a pale 1-2 mm beak. Pappus double, outer hairs ca. 0.1 mm, bristles ca. 7 mm. Fl. and fr. Aug-Oct. 2n = 16*.
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