Herbs large or short, (0.6-)1.5-2 m tall. Rhizomes and roots yellow, stout. Stem stout, hollow, finely sulcate, glabrous or pubescent. Basal leaves orbicular or broadly ovate, large, 30-60 cm, abaxially pubescent, adaxially papilliferous or muricate, basal veins 5, base subcordate, palmately 5-lobed, middle 3 lobes pinnatisect, apex narrowly acute. Stem leaves few, much parted; ocrea large, abaxially pubescent, clasping. Panicle large; branches connivent. Pedicel 2-3 mm, slender, jointed below middle. Flowers small. Tepals purple-red, rarely light red, orbicular, inner 3 larger, ca. 1.5 mm. Ovary broadly ovoid; style short; stigma inflated. Fruit oblong-ovoid to oblong, 8-9.5 × 7-7.5 mm; wings 2-2.5 mm wide, with longitudinal veins near margin. Seeds black, ovoid. Fl. Jun, fr. Jul-Aug.

One of us (Grabovskaya-Borodina) indicates that this is a synonym of Rheum palmatum.

* Valleys; 1600-3000 m. Gansu, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Xizang.