Herbs 30-110 cm tall, annual to ?perennial. Stems solitary or few, erect, branched usually in apical third, glabrous or sparsely hairy. Basal and lower stem leaves oblanceolate, to 32 × 11 cm, lyrately pinnatipartite or sometimes undivided, both faces glabrous or ± pubescent with short hairs, base attenuate into a ± unwinged very variable in length (much longer when leaf undivided) petiole-like portion, margin sinuate-dentate; lateral lobes 1-8 pairs, opposite to obliquely opposite, elliptic to ovate, base truncate to attenuate and sometimes petiolulate, apex acute, obtuse, or rounded; terminal lobe elliptic, ovate, or lanceolate, much larger than lateral lobes, apex ± acute. Middle stem leaves similar to lower leaves but smaller and less (or more rarely not) divided, terminal lobe long acuminate; upper stem leaves narrowly elliptic, lanceolate, or linear-lanceolate, reduced in size. Synflorescence paniculiform-corymbiform, with many capitula. Capitula with 11-25 florets; peduncle capillaceous, usually 0.5-2 cm. Involucre cylindric, 6-7.5 mm. Phyllaries abaxially glabrous; outer phyllaries ovate, longest to 1(-2) mm, apex acute; inner phyllaries ca. 8, adaxially appressed pubescent, midvein subapically plane, margin narrowly white scarious, apex acute. Anther tube green. Style branches yellow upon drying. Achene dark brownish purple, fusiform, 2-3 mm, ribs apically finely spiculate, apex attenuate. Pappus white, 3-4 mm. Fl. and fr. Apr-Oct.
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