Subshrubs or small shrubs, 30-70(-80) cm tall, with a thick rootstock, gray pubescent or sericeous-pubescent, persistent or glabrescent. Lower stem leaves: petiole 3-6 cm; leaf blade oblong-ovate or ovate, (3-)4-8(-10) × 2-5(-6) cm, 2(or 3)-pinnatisect; segments 4-6 pairs, 3-5-lobuled. Middle and upper stem leaves petiolate; leaf blade 1- or 2-pinnatisect; segments 3 or 4(or 5) pairs; lobules linear or linear-lanceolate, 6-15 × (0.5-)1-1.5 mm, apex mucronulate. Leaflike bracts 3-5-sect or entire. Synflorescence a broad to slender, erect or ascending, conical panicle, sometimes with lateral branches to form compound panicle; branches short, mostly less than 1 cm. Capitula contiguous along ultimate branches, ± sessile, erect. Involucre ovoid or broadly ovoid, 1.5-2.5(-3) mm in diam. Marginal female florets 3-8. Disk florets 5-15, male. Achenes ovoid. Fl. and fr. Jul-Oct.

Steppes, forest steppes, wastelands, rocky slopes, hills; 500-2200 m. N Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Russia; Europe].