Plants 30–60 cm high. Stems 1–4, erect, branched above. Basal leaves numerous; petioles 5–25 cm; blade reniform-orbicular or round-cordate, 2–6 × 3–10 cm, palmately 3–5-parted, irregularly doubly serrate, teeth acute or mucronate; central segment obovate or ovate-lanceolate, base cuneate, apex shallowly 3-lobed; lateral segments 2-parted. Cauline leaves palmately 3-parted, reduced above. Inflorescence 2–4-trichotomously branched, all branches elongate; bracts foliaceous, entire or 2–3-lobed; rays 2–4, 0.5–2 cm; bracteoles small, 1–1.2 × 0.5–0.7 mm; umbellules 6–7-flowered. Staminate flowers 3–5 per umbellule, petals white, broadly obovate. Fertile flowers 1–3 per umbellule; calyx teeth ovate, ca. 0.5 × 0.3 mm; style 2–3-times longer than calyx teeth, recurved. Fruit ovoid to broad-ovoid, 2–2.5 × 2.5–3 mm, densely covered with yellow or purplish red uncinate bristles; vittae obscure. Fl. and fr. May–Sep.

Shady woods, forests and grassy places on mountain slopes, stream banks, roadsides; 1300–3400 m. Chongqing, Gansu, Hebei, Henan, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shanxi, N and W Sichuan, S Xizang.