Herbs, perennial, (45-)60-160 cm tall, sparsely pubescent. Lowermost leaves shortly petiolate; leaf blade 2-pinnatisect. Middle stem leaves ± sessile; leaf blade elliptic, ovate-elliptic, suborbicular, or ovate-orbicular, 3-10(-15) × 1.5-6(-10) cm, abaxially densely gray arachnoid tomentose, adaxially sparsely arachnoid puberulent or glabrescent, 1- or 2-pinnatisect or pinnatipartite; segments (3 or)4 or 5, elliptic-lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 3-5 × 1-1.5 cm, rachis narrowly winged, few serrate or not. Uppermost leaves pinnatipartite; leaflike bracts 3-lobed or entire; lobes or entire bracts lanceolate. Synflorescence an ill-defined panicle, lateral branches often shorter than subtending leaves. Involucre oblong, 2.5-3(-3.5) mm; phyllaries densely arachnoid pubescent. Marginal female florets 7-10. Disk florets 8-20, bisexual. Achenes obovoid or ovoid. Fl. and fr. Aug-Oct. 2n = 16, 16 + 1b, 18, 24, 36, 40, 45, 54.

Roadsides, slopes, canyons, forest margins, forest steppes, subalpine steppes; 1500-3800 m. W Gansu, Qinghai, Shaanxi, W Sichuan, Xinjiang, E Xizang [Afghanistan, Japan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, N Thailand, N Vietnam; Africa, SW Asia (Iran), Europe, North America].