Herbs, perennial, 50-90 cm tall, with capitate branches, densely arachnoid tomentose and sparsely glandular pubescent, later sparsely pubescent basally. Lower and middle stem leaves: petiole 5-20 mm; leaf blade elliptic-ovate or elliptic, 6-10 × 5-8 cm, abaxially glabrescent or densely tomentose, adaxially sparsely glandular pubescent, 2-pinnatisect; segments 4-6 pairs, oblong-ovate or oblong, 2.5-3.5 × 1-2 cm; lobules 2-4 pairs, ovate, elliptic-ovate, or elliptic, 5-10 × 2-4 mm, apex usually acute and mucronulate, sometimes ± rounded; rachis winged. Uppermost leaves pinnatipartite; leaflike bracts 3- or 5-partite or entire. Synflorescence a slender ± conical panicle, lower branches subtended by leaflike bracts; ultimate branches ± erect, slender, lowermost to 10 cm. Capitula mostly widely, rather irregularly, spaced, sometimes in small clusters toward base of branch and/or closely spaced apically, nodding; peduncle to 5 mm. Involucre oblong or broadly ovoid, 3-4 mm in diam.; phyllaries ± glabrous or sparsely puberulent. Marginal female florets 3-8. Disk florets 5-15, bisexual. Achene obovoid or oblong-ovoid. Fl. and fr. Jul-Oct.

● Slopes, dunes along riverbanks, grasslands, roadsides; 2700-3800 m. C and SW Gansu, W Hubei, Qinghai, W Sichuan, E Xizang, Yunnan.