Scandent subshrubs; stems over 3 m long, much branched, ultimate branches densely puberulous. Leaves many, short petiolate, oblong to ovate, 8-16×3-5 cm, acute or acuminate, base cuneate-rounded, margins entire or remotely mucronulate, upper surface nearly glabrous, lower surface densely brownish stellate hairy, petiole 4-10 mm long, densely puberulous; leaves subtending inflorescences smaller, oblong-lanceolate, 5-7 cm long. Heads many, in loose axillary and terminal panicles; involucre 6×7 mm long, bracts 4-seriate, outer bracts linear to linear-lanceolate, apex acute, median and inner bracts oblong, midrib black striate, puberulous throughout or chiefly on margins. Florets ca. 10 per head; corolla purple, 10 mm long, lobes 2 mm long, incurved. Achenes cylindric, 3-3.5×0.8 mm, 10-ribbed, compressed, puberulous. Pappus bristles reddish brown to brownish, 9-11 mm long.

TAIPEI: Wulai, Leu 729; Chingjenhu, Liao 1095. TAOYUAN: Mt. Manyuehyuan, Hsieh & Hsiao 1569. TAICHUNG: Pahsienshan Forest Recreation Area, Liu 892. NANTOU: Lienhuachih, Wu & Liou 1193; Huisun Forest Recreation, Chen 1551. CHIAYI: Alishan, Yen 4712. PINGTUNG: Mutan, Wang 2071.

Southeastern mainland China. Taiwan, at edges of broad-leaved forests, 50-1,500 m.

This species is closely related to V. andersonii and was previously treated as a variety of it. It differs in having nonglandular, stellate hairy leaves (vs. leaves with straight hairs and glands), a densely pubescent involucre (vs. involucre hairy on the margins only) and florets ca. 10 (vs. florets ca. 20) per head.