Herbs, perennial, or occasionally subshrubs, (10-)30-60(-70) cm tall, densely yellowish or pale yellow sericeous, sometimes stem bases glabrescent. Stems several, woody at base, shortly branched or not. Lower stem leaves: petiole 5-20 mm; leaf blade oblong or obovate-oblong, 0.8-1.5 × 0.8-1.5 cm, 2(or 3)-pinnatisect; segments (2-)4 pairs; lobules linear-lanceolate or lanceolate. Middle stem leaves: blade oblong or obovate-oblong, 5-7 × 5-7 mm, 1- or 2-pinnatisect; lobules lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 2-3 × 0.5-1.5 mm. Uppermost leaves and bracts pinnately or 3-5-lobed. Synflorescence a spike or raceme, sometimes branched to form a panicle. Capitula nodding. Involucre hemispheric, globose, or ovoid, (2-)2.5-4.5 mm in diam.; receptacle densely white pubescent. Marginal female florets 8-13; corolla limb yellow or purple. Disk florets 20-30, bisexual. Achenes oblong or ellipsoid-obovate, with a minute apical corona. Fl. and fr. Jun-Oct. 2n = 18, 36; (n = 9+3b, 18, 18+2b, 36).

Steppes, subalpine meadows, dry hillsides, stable dunes, dry waste areas; 1000-4000 m. Gansu, Hebei, W Heilongjiang, N Hubei, W Jilin, W Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Qinghai, N Shaanxi, Xinjiang, Xizang [Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia, Tajikistan; SW Asia, E Europe].