Stems 60-100 cm tall, erect, sulcate-striate, densely puberulous, branching apically. Radical leaves chartaceous, lanceolate, 10-15×2.5 cm, apex long acuminate, base amplexicaul, pinnatilobed, segments lobed, segments 10-12, trifid, apical spines on lobes 6-8 mm long, pilose, hairy on both surfaces; cauline leaves 9-11 cm long, pinnatilobed, spinose, upper leaves gradually smaller. Heads terminal, ca. 3 cm across, subtended by 1 or 2 leaf-like bracts; involucre globose-campanulate, 1.5-2×2.5-3.5 cm, bracts 7-seriate, linear, spine of outer and middle ones 5-10 mm long, inner membranaceous; corolla purple, 17-20 mm long, 3-8 mm wide, narrow tube ca. 1.5 times longer than remainder of corolla. Achenes 2.5-3.5 mm long; pappus brown, 15-17 mm long.
MIAOLI: Kuanwu, Peng 9456; Tapachienshan, Peng 8491. TAICHUNG: Pahsienshan, Chuang 2653. NANTOU: Hsinyi, Tungpushanchuang, Leu 1118; Jenai, Meifeng, Yen 1353. CHIAYI: Alishan, Hu 1278. TAITUNG: Haituan, Takuanshan, Peng 11742. HUALIEN: Luanshan, Tamura et al. 21582.
Endemic; in thickets in the mountains, 1,600-3,000 m.
