Vernonia bracteata Wallich ex C. B. Clarke var. nantcianensis Pampanini, Nuovo Giorn. Bot. Ital., n.s., 18: 98. 1911; Acilepis nantcianensis (Pampanini) H. Robinson; V. silhetensis (Candolle) Handel-Mazzetti var. nantcianensis (Pampanini) Handel-Mazzetti.

Herbs, annual or perennial, 50-80(-100) cm tall. Stems erect or ascending branched above, distinctly striate, sparsely scabrid, rarely subglabrous and glandular hairy. Petiole 5-15 mm; leaf blade ovate or lanceolate-elliptic, 3-10 × 1-4 cm, thinly papery, abaxially puberulent and glandular along veins, adaxially sparsely adpressed hispidulous, lateral veins 5-7-paired, midrib and lateral veins adaxially inconspicuous, base cuneately attenuate into petiole, margin laxly serrate at middle, apex acuminate. Synflorescences terminal or axillary. Capitula solitary, 13-15 mm in diam.; peduncles robust, rather dilated above, densely puberulent and glandular. Involucre campanulate, 10-13 × 12-15 mm; phyllaries 5- or 6-seriate, upper part and margin purple-red, ovate to ovate-oblong, densely pubescent, apex mucronulate, inner 1.5-2.2 mm, acuminate. Receptacle slightly convex, foveolate. Florets many; corolla pink-purple, tubular, ca. 12 mm, with 7-8 mm tube and campanulate limb; lobes linear-lanceolate, glandular. Achenes dark brown, cylindric, ca. 4 mm, 10-ribbed, sparsely sericeous, eglandular. Pappus 1-seriate, yellowish brown; outer setae short, easily deciduous; inner setae 7-8 mm, scabrid. Fl. and fr. Aug-Oct.

● Forest margins in valleys or on slopes; 700-2000 m. W Hubei, Sichuan.