Herbs (0.2-)0.5-2 m tall, biennial. Stem solitary, 3-10 mm in diam., erect, much branched. Lower stem leaves petiolate; leaf blade elliptic to narrowly ovate-elliptic, 7-30 × 3.5-9 cm, pinnately lobed, both surfaces green, scabrous, and gland-dotted; lateral lobes 5-8 pairs, obliquely triangular to linear-oblong, margin usually entire, apex obtuse; terminal lobe narrowly ovate-elliptic to linear. Middle and upper stem leaves shortly petiolate or sessile, gradually smaller upward on stem, pinnately lobed or undivided. Capitula very numerous, in a corymbiform or paniculiform synflorescence, shortly pedunculate. Involucre narrowly campanulate, 5-8(-10) mm in diam. Phyllaries in 5 or 6 rows, green with a dark purple midvein, arachnoid to glabrescent, gland-dotted, apical appendage purple, orbicular, 1-2 mm wide, and membranous; outer phyllaries ovate to narrowly triangular-ovate, 2-3 × 1-1.5 mm, apex acute or with a small appendage; middle and inner phyllaries narrowly elliptic to linear, 4-10 × 0.8-1.5 mm, apex with a larger appendage. Receptacle bristles 5-6 mm. Corolla purple, 1-1.4 cm, gland-dotted, tube 6-8 mm, limb 4-6 mm, lobes 4-5 mm. Achene straw-colored with dark spots, cylindric to obconic, 3-4 mm. Pappus dirty white; outer bristles ca. 2 mm; inner bristles 7-9 mm. Fl. and fr. Jun-Nov. 2n = 26, 28.
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