Stems 10-75 cm tall, glabrate. Lower and median cauline leaves chartaceous, oblong-lanceolate, (3-)6-15(-20)×(1-)2-4(-4.5) cm including petiole, apex acute, base cuneate, remotely mucronulate-denticulate or slightly lyrate-lobed, upper surface scabrous, lower surface glandular and sparsely hairy, petiole winged; upper leaves gradually smaller, narrowly oblong, acuminate, cuneate, sessile. Heads 2-9, in corymbs, short pedunculate. Involucre tubular, 9×3 mm, bracts 3-seriate, outer ones shorter, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, median ones oblong, inner ones linear-lanceolate. Corolla purple, 10 mm long. Receptacle setose. Pappus 7-8 mm long, 2-seriate, outer bristles unequal, deciduous.

Endemic; on high mountains, 2,000-3,400 m.

HSINCHU: Tapachienshan, Huang 98. TAICHUNG: Taoshan, Wang 4081. NANTOU: Chilaishan, Lai s. n. 1998.

HSINCHU: Tapachienshan, Huang 98. TAICHUNG: Taoshan, Wang 4081. NANTOU: Chilaishan, Lai s. n. 1998.

Saussurea glandulosa is exceedingly variable in height, but is diagnostic in having glandular leaves.