Saussurea chinnampoensis var. gracilis H. C. Fu & D. S. Wen; S. peipingensis F. H. Chen.

Herbs 10-60(-100) cm tall, biennial. Stem solitary, erect, branched from base. Basal leaves shortly petiolate; leaf blade linear, narrowly ovate, narrowly elliptic, or narrowly obovate, 4-13 × 0.4-1 cm, thick, scabrous, gland-dotted, base attenuate-cuneate, margin revolute, subentire, mucronulate, apex acute to obtuse. Lower and middle stem leaves sessile, gradually smaller upward on stem, base semiamplexicaul. Capitula solitary or few on ends of branches in a corymbiform or paniculiform synflorescence, pedunculate. Involucre broadly campanulate to hemispheric, 1-2 cm in diam. Phyllaries in 4-6 rows, narrowly ovate-elliptic to linear, green, gland-dotted; outer phyllaries 4-8 × 1.5-2 mm, apex cartilaginous mucronate; middle phyllaries 8-10 × 1.5-2 mm, appendage green, herbaceous, margin and apically cartilaginous mucronate; inner phyllaries 10-13 × 1-1.5 mm, appendage green to purple, herbaceous, brownish tomentose, acuminate, and recurved. Receptacle bristles white, filiform, 6-9 mm. Corolla pale purple, 1.2-1.6 cm, gland-dotted, tube 8-11 mm, limb 5-6 mm, lobes 4-4.5 mm. Achene cylindric, ca. 3 mm, ribbed. Pappus pale yellowish brown; outer bristles 3-5 mm; inner bristles 7-10 mm. Fl. and fr. Jul-Oct.

Salt marshes, moist meadows; near sea level to 1200 m. Hebei, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, N Shaanxi [Korea].