Plants perennial, 60–130 cm. Root conic. Stem glabrous, branched. Basal and lower petioles long, sheathing at base; blade broad-ovate, 1–2-ternate; median leaflets short-petiolulate, rhombic-obovate, 7–13 × 5–9 cm, base cuneate; lateral leaflets broad-ovate, often 1–2-lobed, base truncate or slightly cordate, margin incised-serrate, apex acuminate. Peduncles 6–12 cm; bracts absent; rays 20–25, unequal, up to 8 cm in fruit; bracteoles 6–8, linear-lanceolate, 5–8 mm; pedicels 25–35, slender, up to 1 cm. Calyx teeth obsolete. Petals broad-obovate, the outer slightly enlarged. Fruit oblong to suborbicular, 3–6 × 3–4 mm; dorsal ribs narrow-winged, lateral ribs conspicuously wider than the dorsal; vittae 2–3 in each furrow, 4 on commissure. Fl. Aug–Sep, fr. Sep–Oct.

Recent research indicates that this species may be conspecific with Notopterygium franchetii.

Forests, shrubby thickets; 1200–2300 m. Gansu, Shaanxi.