Plants 20–50 cm. Stems solitary or 2–3. Basal leaves petiolate, petioles 10–20 cm, glabrous or strigose; blade triangular-ovate in outline, 5–12 × 5–11 cm, ternate; leaflets 3, lateral leaflets usually 2–3-lobed; ultimate segments ovate or rhomboidal, 1.6–6 × 0.6–3.8 cm, glabrous or strigose along veins, margins serrate, apex acute. Umbels 1.5–3 cm across (to 7 cm in fruit); bracts absent; rays 15–30, 2–4(–6) cm; bracteoles 1–4, ca. 0.5 mm, subequal; umbellules 2–5-flowered; pedicels 0.3–1.5 mm in flower. Calyx teeth triangular, 0.5–0.7 mm. Petals white or purple-white, ca. 1.8 × 0.7 mm. Stylopodium conic; styles elongate; stylopodium plus styles ca. 1.3 mm. Fruit globose-ovoid or oblong-ovoid, 3.5–5 × 2–3 mm; ribs denticulate; vittae 1–3 in each furrow, 2–4 on commissure. Fl. Apr–Jun, fr. Jul–Sep.

All three varieties have reputed medicinal value (in Sichuan).

Forests, grassy slopes, shady or grassy streamsides; 1300–3500 m. S Gansu, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan [NE India, N Myanmar, Nepal].