Herbs 20-50 cm tall, perennial. Caudex apically covered with remains of petioles. Stem solitary, erect, simple, white arachnoid. Basal and lower stem leaves petiolate; petiole to 5 cm; leaf blade oblong to narrowly elliptic, 7-15(-30) × 1.5-4 cm, lyrate or pinnately lobed, abaxially grayish white and densely tomentose, adaxially green; lateral lobes 6-10 pairs, ovate-triangular, margin coarsely dentate or entire, apex obtuse to acuminate. Middle and upper stem leaves sessile, gradually smaller upward on stem. Uppermost stem leaves subtending capitulum; leaf blade linear, undivided, margin entire or dentate. Capitula solitary or 2, terminal on stem. Involucre campanulate, 1.5-2(-2.5) cm in diam. Phyllaries in 4-6 rows, basally straw-colored, apically purplish brown, sparsely villous, apex acuminate; outer phyllaries narrowly triangular, 10-12 × ca. 2 mm, apical part green, herbaceous, and usually reflexed; middle phyllaries narrowly ovate-elliptic, 9-10 × 2-3 mm; inner phyllaries linear, 11-13 × 1-2 mm. Receptacle with bristles. Corolla purple, 1.2-1.6 cm, tube 4-8 mm, limb ca. 8 mm. Achene brown, cylindric, ca. 4 mm, glabrous. Pappus pale brown; outer bristles ca. 3 mm, scabrid; inner bristles ca. 1.2 cm. Fl. and fr. Jul-Sep.
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