Herbs 4-15 cm tall, perennial. Caudex stout, much branched. Stems many, erect or ascending, base densely covered with brown remains of old petioles. Basal and lower stem leaves 3-7 cm, pinnately divided; segments 3-5, linear to narrowly ovate-linear, 3-10 × 0.5-2 cm, both surfaces sparsely arachnoid and glandular, margin entire or denticulate, apex acute to subobtuse and mucronate. Middle and upper stem leaves gradually smaller upward on stem, pinnately parted or undivided. Capitula 1-3, solitary or in a corymbiform synflorescence. Involucre campanulate, 8-10 mm in diam. Phyllaries in 5 or 6 rows, purplish, arachnoid, glandular; outer phyllaries ovate, apex acute; inner phyllaries narrowly ovate to linear, apex acuminate. Receptacle with bristles. Corolla rose, 1.3-1.6 cm, tube 6-7 mm, limb 7-9 mm. Achene cylindric, ca. 4 mm, 4-or 5-angled, rugose, densely glandular. Pappus white; inner bristles 1.1-1.2 cm. Fl. and fr. Jul-Aug.