Roots fascicled, fibrous. Stems erect, 25–60 cm tall, together with petioles yellow pubescent and rigid hairy. Radical leaves lyrate-pinnate, 5–20 cm including petiole, usually with 1 or 2 pairs of lateral leaflets and several segments, both surfaces sparsely strigose; leaflets unequal, terminal one largest, ovate to broadly obovate, lobed or not, 3–8 × 5–9 cm, base broadly cordate or cuneate, margin coarsely obtusely or acutely serrate, apex rounded; cauline leaves: stipules green, herbaceous, margin irregularly coarsely crenate; leaf blade of lower leaves 3-foliolate, of upper ones simple, entire or 3-lobed, segments obtuse or acute at apex. Inflorescence terminal, laxly several flowered. Flowers 1.5–1.8 cm in diam.; pedicel densely rigid hairy and pubescent. Sepals triangular-ovate, apex acuminate; epicalyx segments elliptic-lanceolate, minute, ca. 1/2 as long as sepals, pubescent abaxially, apex acute. Petals yellow, suborbicular, longer than sepals. Style terminal, twisted at joint ca. 1/4 way from apex; proximal section pilose; distal section deciduous at fruit maturity. Achene aggregate ovoid to ellipsoid; fruiting receptacle hirtellous, hairs 2–3 mm; achenes hirtellous; proximal section of style persistent, glabrous, apex hooked. Fl. and fr. May–Oct.

Geum japonicum var. japonicum occurs in Japan and Korea.

This species is used medicinally.

Thinned forests, thickets, grassy mountain slopes, river banks, field margins; 200--2300 m. Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Shandong, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Yunnan, Zhejiang.