Plants subdioecious. Rhizomes short, with numerous fibrous roots, thinly arachnoid-lanate. Scapes emerging from rhizomes in early spring. Stems of female synflorescences 27-60 cm tall, with scale-shaped leaves; bracteal leaves ovate-lanceolate, 3-4 cm, basal leaves long petiolate; blade broadly reniform-cordate, 2-8 cm, both surfaces white lanate, or later ± glabrescent, palmately veined, margin finely toothed, with cartilaginous mucronulate teeth. Male capitula arranged in terminal corymbs or panicles; corolla tubular, segments lanceolate; style exceeding corolla, stigma capitate, slightly branched. Female capitula densely arranged in terminal cymose panicles, 8-12 mm in diam.; peduncles 1-2.5(-8) cm, with 1 to few lanceolate bracteal leaves; involucres campanulate, 10-12 mm; phyllaries uniseriate, 10-12, lanceolate or lanceolate-oblong, ca. 7 mm, calyculate; corolla apically 4-or 5-lacerate; segments unequal, filiform or subulate; style exceeding corolla, stigma 2-fid. Achenes cylindric, glabrous. Pappus of many fine bristles in female florets, in male few, shorter than corolla. Fl. Apr-Jun.
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