Stem erect, to 70 cm tall, 5-8 mm in diam. at base, proximally glabrous, distally and synflorescence purplish red, shortly blackish purple pilose. Basal leaves petiolate; petiole 4-8 cm, winged; wings to 2 cm wide, margin entire or dentate; base enlarged sheathed; sheath to 11 × 4 cm, glabrous, margin entire or dentate; leaf blade cordate or ovate-cordate, 3.5-15 × 5.5-11 cm, pinnately veined, base cordate, margin sinuate-dentate, apex rounded; basal lobes orbicular. Middle stem leaves smaller, shortly petiolate, enlarged sheathed; leaf blade ovate. Synflorescence paniculate-racemose, to 10 cm, lax, proximal branches with 3 or 4 capitula; leaflike bracts linear, shorter; peduncles to 1.5 cm. Capitula numerous; supplementary bracts subulate, shorter than involucre. Involucre narrowly campanulate or cylindric, 6-8 × 4-5 mm, outside purplish red, glabrous; phyllaries 5-8, in 2 rows, oblong, white ciliate, margin membranous and pale colored, apex obtuse, triangular. Ray florets ?yellow, not seen. Tubular florets 10-15, 8-9 mm, tube slightly longer than broadly campanulate limb. Achenes dark brown, narrowly oblanceolate, 5-6 mm, attenuate at apex. Pappus rufous, 6-7 mm, slightly shorter than tubular corolla. Fl. and fr. Aug-Sep.

● Grassy slopes; ca. 2600 m. N Sichuan.