Plants perennial, 15--25 cm tall. Stems terete, 1--1.5 mm in diam., striate. Basal leaf absent or 1, cauline leaf 1; leaf sheath auricles present; leaf blade linear, flat, 7--12(--17) cm × 2--3 mm, inconspicuously septate, apex with a callus. Inflorescences terminal; involucral bract leaflike, lanceolate; heads 2--4(or 5), with both fertile and sterile flowers, or sometimes heads small with only sterile flowers; bracts reddish brown, broadly ovate, shorter than flowers. Perianth of fertile flowers with outer segments ovate, 2--2.5 mm, vein 1, apex somewhat obtuse; inner segments yellowish white, lanceolate, 4--4.5 mm, apex acuminate. Stamens 6; filaments 3--3.5 mm; anthers 1.5--2 mm. Ovary ovoid. Style 1.2--1.5 mm; stigmas ca. 0.7 mm. Mature fruit not seen. Fl. Jul.

The rhizomes are used medicinally.

* Meadows; ca. 3200 m. Sichuan.