Plants perennial, 1–2 m, stout. Root conic, gray brown, 2–5 cm thick. Stem purplish, ribbed. Basal and lower leaves petiolate, petioles 30–45 cm, sheaths broad; blade triangular-ovate in outline, 20–40 × 20–30 cm, 2–3-ternate-pinnate, basal pinnae petiolulate; leaflets oblong-lanceolate, 4–15 × 1.5–5 cm, base decurrent, margin irregularly coarse-toothed, apex acute, slightly scabrous along nerves adaxially. Upper leaves purple-green, sheaths broadly inflated, often bladeless. Umbel purple, subglobose, 5–8 cm across, up to 12 cm in fruit, peduncles, rays and pedicels all hispidulous; peduncles 2–6 cm; bracts 2, saccate, dark purple; rays many, stout, 2–3 cm; bracteoles dark purple, several, ovate-lanceolate; pedicels many, 3–8 mm. Calyx teeth obsolete. Petals dark purple-red, obovate. Anthers purple. Fruit ellipsoid, 5–8 × 3–5 mm; dorsal ribs prominent, lateral ribs broad-winged; vittae 1(–2) in each furrow, 2(–4) on commissure. Fl. Jul–Aug, fr. Aug–Sep. n = 11*.

The roots are used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Forests, grasslands, streamsides; ca. 1000 m. Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning [Japan, Korea].