Herbs 7-12 cm tall, perennial. Caudex simple, densely covered with fibrous remains of petioles. Stem solitary, 2-3 mm in diam., erect, apically branched. Lower and middle stem leaves petiolate; petiole 3-5 cm; leaf blade narrowly obovate-elliptic, 4-8 × 1.5-4.5 cm, lyrate-pinnatisect, abaxially grayish green, sparsely arachnoid tomentose, and gland-dotted, adaxially green, strigose, and gland-dotted; lateral segments 1-3 pairs, triangular-ovate, margin entire or denticulate, apex acute to obtuse; terminal segment large, margin dentate, apex obtuse. Upper stem leaves petiolate; leaf blade narrowly obovate-elliptic, 2-5 × 0.4-2 cm, undivided, margin entire or sinuate-dentate. Capitula numerous, in a laxly corymbiform synflorescence, pedunculate. Involucre tubular-campanulate, 7-10 mm in diam. Phyllaries in 5 or 6 rows, apically blackish, villous; outer and middle phyllaries ovate to ovate-oblong, 3-10 × 1.5-2 mm, apex obtuse to rounded; inner phyllaries narrowly ovate-elliptic, 10-15 × 1-1.5 mm, apex obtuse to acute. Receptacle bristles ca. 1.5 mm. Corolla bluish purple, 1.2-1.5 cm, gland-dotted, tube 6-7 mm, limb 5-8 mm, lobes 3.5-4 mm. Achene cylindric, ca. 3 mm, 4-ribbed, apex with a short crown. Outer pappus bristles white, 7-12 mm, barbellate; inner pappus bristles pale brown, 1-1.2 cm. Fl. and fr. Aug-Sep.
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