Subshrubs, with a thick rootstock, 40-80 cm tall, densely gray or greenish arachnoid tomentose, later glabrescent, lower bark brown, usually peeling off. Lowermost leaves: petiole 2-3.5 cm; leaf blade oblong, 3.5-6 × 2.5-5 cm, gray arachnoid pubescent, 2(or 3)-pinnatisect; segments 4 or 5(or 6) pairs; lobules narrowly linear or narrowly linear-lanceolate, 4-8 × 0.5-1 mm, mucronulate apically. Middle stem leaves 1-or 2-pinnatisect. Upper leaves pinnatisect; leaflike bracts linear, entire. Synflorescence a dense, narrow, elongated panicle. Capitula ± sessile. Involucre oblong-ellipsoid or oblong, 1-2 mm in diam.; phyllaries strongly convex, densely pubescent. Florets 3-5; corolla limb red or yellow. Achenes obovoid. Fl. and fr. Aug-Oct.