Stem erect, to 90 cm tall, ca. 6 mm in diam. at base, proximally glabrous, distally arachnoid-puberulent. Basal leaves petiolate; petiole to 32.5 cm, base narrowly sheathed; leaf blade orbicular or broadly ovate, 10-25 cm in diam., glabrous or abaxially pale green and initially hairy, palmately veined, 3-8(or 17)-palmatisect or palmatilobed; lobes 3-divided, lobules pinnatisect; segments linear-oblong, 7-15 × 3-6(-8) mm, margin revolute, apex acute. Stem leaves 2 or 3, similar but smaller, shortly petiolate, ± divided; sheath enlarged, cymbiform, glabrous, margin entire. Corymbs compound, slightly spreading; branches and peduncles shortly yellowish brown pilose. Capitula to 30; leaflike and supplementary bracts filiform, glabrous. Involucre campanulate-turbinate, 10-13 × 7-12 mm, outside shortly pilose; phyllaries 8 or 9, purple, oblong or lanceolate, 3-5 mm wide, margin membranous, apex acute. Ray florets absent. Tubular florets numerous, 6-7 mm, extending from involucre; tube 1-1.5 mm. Achenes brown, cylindric, 7-8 mm. Pappus brown, shorter than tubular corolla, usually deciduous. Fl. and fr. Sep-Oct.

● Grassy slopes, forest understories, alpine grasslands; 3400-4500 m. Yunnan.