Vines woody. Branches shallowly longitudinally 5-grooved, puberulous to subglabrous. Leaves usually 2-ternate, sometimes 2-pinnate or pinnate, rarely ternate, (3--)9(--11)-foliolate; petiole 1.7--8 cm, sparsely to densely puberulous or subglabrous; leaflet blades ovate to lanceolate, undivided or 3-lobed, (1--)1.5--6 × 0.7--3.5 cm, thinly papery, both surfaces subglabrous or sparsely appressed puberulous, or abaxially densely sericeous-puberulous and adaxially sparsely puberulous, base rounded, broadly cuneate, or subcordate, margin 1--3(--6)-dentate on each side, apex acuminate, narrowly acuminate, or rarely acute; basal veins ± prominent. Cymes axillary or terminal, usually shorter than leaves, 4--25-flowered; peduncle 2--5 cm; bracts ovate to linear, 4--12 mm, undivided or 3-parted. Flowers (1--)1.5--2 cm in diam. Pedicel (0.5--)0.9--1.3 cm, puberulous. Sepals 4, white, spreading, obovate-oblong to oblong, (6--)9--11 × (2--)3--4 mm, abaxially appressed puberulous, adaxially sparsely appressed puberulous, margin abaxially velutinous, apex obtuse. Stamens 6--10 mm, glabrous; anthers narrowly oblong, 1--2 mm, apex obtuse. Ovaries pubescent. Style ca. 5 mm, densely villous. Achenes elliptic to elliptic-ovate, ca. 3 × 2 mm, densely appressed puberulous; persistent style 1.2--2 cm, plumose. Fl. Jul--Sep, fr. Sep--Oct.

Sparse forests, scrub; 400--2800 m. C and S Gansu, N and W Hebei, Heilongjiang, W Henan, Hubei, Hunan, N Jiangsu, E Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, E Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shanxi, NC and W Sichuan, E Xizang, NW Yunnan [Korea, Mongolia, Russia (Far East)].