Stems 26--70 cm tall, simple. Basal leaves 2--5; petiole 7--36 cm, base narrowly sheathed; leaf blade not green when dried, pentagonal, 3.5--6 × 6.5--11 cm, base cordate, 3-sect; central segment rhombic, 3-lobed, ultimate lobules dentate; lateral segments obliquely flabellate, 2-fid nearly to base. Cauline leaves similar to basal ones. Flower solitary, 3--5 cm in diam. Sepals (10--)15--18, orange, not green when dried, obovate or broadly obovate, 1.6--2.5 × 0.9--2 cm, apex rounded. Petals linear, shorter than or subequaling stamens, 6--13 × ca. 1 mm, narrowed at apex. Stamens 0.7--1.3 cm. Styles dark purple or black. Follicles ca. 16, ca. 1 cm × 3.5 mm; persistent style ca. 1 mm. Seeds ellipsoid-globose, ca. 1.2 mm. Fl. May--Jul, fr. Aug. 2n = 16.
Can be grown by divisions or seedlings. Seeds needs stratification.