Plants medium-sized or robust. Leaves numerous; petiole unwinged or winged; leaf blade usually broad (3–6 cm), deeply lobed to pinnatisect; lateral lobes variously triangular or deltoid, margin usually dentate or lobulate; interlobes evident, often spotted or bordered tan or brownish purple, margin usually dentate. Capitulum 3–7 cm wide. Involucre usually more than 1.2 cm wide, base rounded or flat. Outer phyllaries (12–)15–25(–28), usually mid-green to deep green and sometimes pruinose, variously arranged, broadly linear, linear-lanceolate, or less often lanceolate, usually 12–16 × 2.5–3.5 mm, usually irregularly patent to reflexed, unbordered or with inconspicuous narrow paler borders, apex usually flat but not infrequently callose or sometimes minutely corniculate. Ligules yellow; floret tube glabrous or sparsely arachnoid with variously curved soft thin hairs. Achene grayish straw-colored brown or light olivaceous brown, usually 3–4.5 mm; body densely spinulose in upper 1/4–1/3, ± abruptly narrowing into a conic to subcylindric 0.2–0.9 mm cone; beak usually 0.9–1.3 cm, thin. Pappus white to dirty white, usually 6–7 mm. Sexual or agamospermous.

from: Ge X., Kirschner J. & Štepánek J. in Wu Z. Y. & al. (ed.), Flora of China 20–21: 324. 2011, Beijing & St Louis.