Stems erect or nearly erect, 10-50 cm, glabrous, each with 9-40 flowers. Roots slender, 0.2-0.8 mm thick. Basal leaves persistent, blades reniform, outer undivided, inner 3-lobed to 3-foliolate, 1-3.5 × 1.5-4.5 cm, base truncate or cordate, margins crenate, apex rounded or obtuse. Flowers: pedicels pubescent or glabrous; receptacle sparsely pilose; sepals 2-3 × 1-2 mm, abaxially sparsely hispid, hairs colorless; petals 5, 1-2 × 0.5-1 mm; nectary scale glabrous. Heads of achenes globose to ovoid, 3-7 × 3-5 mm; achenes 1.5-2 × 1.4-1.8 mm, glabrous; beak slender, strongly curved, 0.6-1 mm. 2 n = 16.

Flowering spring-summer (Apr-Jul). Woods and pastures; 0-1100 m; Conn., Ky., Md., Mass., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., R.I., Tenn., Vt., Va., W.Va.