Subshrubs, (20-)50-120 cm tall, arachnoid pubescent; rootstock horizontally creeping, ca. 1 cm thick. Leaves abaxially densely arachnoid tomentose, adaxially sparsely pubescent and gland-dotted, or glabrescent. Lowermost and middle stem leaves: petiole 1.5-2(-3) cm; leaf blade ovate or oblong-elliptic, 6-10(-18) × 4-6(-10) cm, 2-pinnatisect; segments (2 or)3 or 4 pairs, elliptic or oblong; lateral lobes with 1-3 pairs of lobules; lobules lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 0.5-1.5 × 2-2.5 mm; rachis narrowly winged. Uppermost leaves and leaflike bracts pinnatisect or 3-5-lobed or entire; lobes or entire bracts linear-lanceolate or lanceolate. Synflorescence a narrow panicle to 25 × 3 cm, sometimes with extra panicles from upper nodes; branches simple, to 4 cm, erect, rather uniform in length; bracts linear, ca. as long as involucre. Capitula solitary or in dense glomerules of 2 or 3, subsessile, erect to ± patent. Involucre ovoid, subglobose or hemispheric, rarely oblong, 2-3 mm in diam.; outer phyllaries purplish tinged, purple or gray arachnoid pubescent, scarious margin broadly hyaline, apex obtuse. Florets 20-38, yellow or purple-brown tinged, all fertile. Marginal female florets 5-7; corolla filiform. Disk florets bisexual 10-20(-30); corolla limb yellow or purple. Achenes brown, obovoid or oblong, ca. 1.25 mm. Fl. and fr. Aug-Oct. 2n = 18, 36.

Roadsides, slopes, dry canyons, grasslands, waste areas, terraces; 700-3900 m. S Gansu, Guizhou, W Hubei, Qinghai, S Shaanxi, W Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan [Afghanistan, N India, Nepal, Pakistan, N Thailand].