Herbs 30-130 cm tall, perennial. Stem apically densely glandular hairy. Basal leaves often present at anthesis; petiole 6-10 cm, unwinged; leaf blade triangular-ovate to broadly lanceolate, 3-11 × 3-7 cm, glabrous, base conspicuously cordate to hastate, margin sinuate and mucronulate-dentate, apex acute to shortly acuminate. Lower and middle stem leaves with a shorter petiole; leaf blade to 17 cm, pinnatisect, margin entire to very shallowly mucronulate-dentate, base cuneate; lateral lobes 1-3(or 4) pairs, opposite or alternate, rhombic-elliptic, lanceolate, or linear and sometimes falcate, to 8 cm, apex acute; terminal lobe narrowly elliptic, broadly lanceolate, or linear-lanceolate, to 13 cm, apex acute to acuminate. Upper stem leaves sessile, smaller, pinnatisect, lobes ± linear-lanceolate. Synflorescence paniculiform, with some to many capitula. Capitula with usually 12-15 florets. Involucre 9-11 × ca. 3 mm. Phyllaries with an obtuse to acute apex; outer phyllaries triangular-ovate to lanceolate, largest ca. 3 × 0.6-0.8 mm; inner phyllaries (7 or)8. Florets purplish red. Achene ca. 4 mm, attenuate into a stout ca. 1 mm beaklike apex. Pappus 5-6 mm. Fl. and fr. Apr-May.
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