Herbs, perennial, 36-90 cm tall, with short rhizomes; stems erect, upper parts corymbosely branched, striate, densely pubescent with curved hairs, lower part sometimes glabrescent. Basal stem leaves withered by anthesis. Middle stem leaves sessile; leaf blade linear-lanceolate, 1.5-6 × 0.3-0.6 cm, both surfaces densely pubescent, depressed gland-dotted, base attenuate, margin double-serrulate, apex acuminate. Upper stem leaves gradually smaller. Synflorescence a flat-topped panicle. Capitula many. Involucres hemispheric, 3-4 mm in diam.; phyllaries in 3 rows, broadly lanceolate, 1.2-1.5 mm, abaxially densely pubescent, scarious margin yellowish or brown, midvein convex. Paleae similar to phyllaries. Ray florets ca. 8; lamina white, broadly elliptic, 3.2-3.5 × 3-3.8 mm, apex 2-crenate. Disk florets ca. 2.5 mm, 5-lobed. Achenes oblanceolate, ca. 1.8 × 1 mm, with white lateral ribs, sometimes 1-ribbed abaxially. Corona absent. Fl. and fr. Aug-Sep. 2n = 18, 36.

Forest understories along rivers and marshes, moist grasslands; 500-1200 m. Shaanxi, Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Russia; Europe].