Herbs perennial. Roots robust, terete. Flowering stems erect or ascending, 15–35 cm tall, densely yellowish villous. Radical leaves 4–18 cm including petiole; stipules purple-brown, membranous, abaxially villous; petiole spreading villous; leaf blade 3-foliolate; leaflets sessile or subsessile, obovate, 1–4 × 0.5–2 cm, abaxially densely white tomentose, markedly sparsely villous on veins, adaxially densely spreading villous, base cuneate or broadly so, margin obtusely or acutely serrate, apex obtuse; cauline leaves 3 or 4; stipules green, herbaceous, abaxially densely white tomentose and sparsely villous, margin lobed or parted; leaflets resembling those of radical leaves. Inflorescence terminal, cymose, few flowered. Flowers 2–2.5 cm in diam.; pedicel 1–2.5 cm, tomentose and villous. Sepals triangular-ovate, abaxially green and spreading villous, apex acute or acuminate; epicalyx segments elliptic, nearly equaling sepals, abaxially usually white tomentose and pilose, base sometimes with very short stipe, apex obtuse or acute. Petals yellow, apex markedly emarginate. Style terminal, base prominently thickened; stigma slightly dilated. Achenes smooth. Fl. and fr. Jul–Sep.

Meadows on mountain slopes; 3000--3500 m. Yunnan.