Plants 1–1.5 m tall. Root fusiform. Stem solitary, slender ca. 7 mm thick at base, branched above. Basal leaves long-petiolate; petiole to 25 cm, narrowly sheathing at base; leaf blade pinnate, 3–5-foliolate; pinnae ovate or broad-ovate in outline, 8–13 × 4–10 cm, shallowly or deeply (to 3/4) lobed into 2 or 3 broad-ovate lobes, sparsely pubescent on both surfaces especially on the veins, margins serrate. Cauline leaves gradually reduced upward, sessile, 3-lobed on expanded sheaths. Peduncles 20–30 cm, sparsely puberulent; bracts 1–2, linear-lanceolate; rays 10–25, unequal, 2–7 cm, sparsely pubescent; bracteoles 5–8, linear lanceolate, shorter than pedicels; umbellules 20–25-flowered. Calyx teeth obsolete. Petals white, outer flowers in umbels radiant, enlarged petals broadly obcordate, deeply lobed. Ovary scabrous. Fruit suborbicular, 6–7 × 5–6 mm; vittae solitary in each furrow, 2 on commissure, clavate, slightly exceeding 1/2 length of mericarp. Seed face plane. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Aug–Sep. 2n = 22*.

This species has reputed medicinal value.

Shady forests, moist thickets; 2000–3000 m. Hubei, SE and W Sichuan.