Herbs perennial, (7-)10-25(-35) cm tall. Rhizomes compact, thick, not stoloniferous. Stems erect, terete, pilose at base, glabrous from the middle upward, often more than 1 from base. Basal leaves rosulate, (3-)5-9(-11) cm; petiole (0.7-)1.5-3.5(-4.5) cm; terminal leaflet orbicular or reniform, (0.5-)1-3 × (0.5-)1.5-3.5 cm, with a petiolule 1-2 cm, base cordate or subtruncate, margin entire, repand, or obscurely coarsely crenate, apex rounded; lateral leaflets 2 or 3(-5) pairs, much smaller than terminal one. Cauline leaves 2-5(-7), glabrous; middle ones 1.5-6(-8) cm; terminal leaflet suborbicular or broadly ovate, rarely oblong or sublanceolate, (0.5-)1.2-3(-3.5) × (0.5-)1-2.5(-3) cm, with a petiolule 5-12(-20) mm, base rounded or subcuneate, margin obscurely to strongly angled, rarely entire, often mucronulate at angles, apex obtuse to subacute; lateral leaflets (1 or)2 or 3 pairs, smaller and somewhat similar to terminal ones; proximal pair of lateral leaflets auriclelike, attached at or just above node, often giving appearance of amplexicaul leaf base. Fruiting pedicels divaricate or ascending, (0.7-)1-2.2(-3) cm, slender, glabrous, straight. Sepals ovate or oblong, 2.5-3 × 2-2.5 mm. Petals white, obovate, 6-9 × 3-4 mm, not clawed, apex rounded. Filaments subequal in length, somewhat spreading, 4.5-6 mm; anthers narrowly oblong, 1-1.3 mm. Ovules 12-22 per ovary. Fruit linear, 1.5-4 cm × 1-1.5 mm; gynophore to 1 mm; valves smooth, glabrous; style slender, 2-4 mm; stigma entire, narrower than style. Seeds brown, oblong, 1.3-1.8 × 0.7-1 mm. Fl. and fr. Apr-Jun.

The above first record from Guizhou is based on S Guizhou Team 1148 (NAS); the above first record from Hubei is based on Wilson 240 (E, US, W) and Wilson 291 (K, W); the above first record from Hunan is based Anonymous 700 (MO).

The plants are used as a vegetable or as forage.

* Valleys, streamsides; 1400-2200 m. Guangxi, Guizhou, W Hubei (Badong Xian), Hunan, Sichuan.