Japan Flora: Much-branched，scandent, perennial herb, retrorsely prickly on stems and petioles; leaves green, long-petiolate, ovate-orbicular, 5-12 cm. long and as wide, acuminate, cordate at base, scabrous on both surfaces， rather irregularly toothed, often 3-lobed, the terminal lobe larger than the lateral ones; pistillate spikes pendulous, short-pedunculate, pale yellow-green, ovoid-globase in fruit, the bracts obtuse, 15-20 mm. long and as wide, concave, papery-membranous, accrescent, ovate; achenes inflated- lenticular, 2.5-3 mm. long and as wide, covered with minute impressed points and yellow discoid glands; staminate in-florescence paniculate, erect, 10-15 cm. long, the flowers short- pedicelled. Aug.-Sept. Thickets in mountains;

Hokkaido, Honshu (centr. and n. distr.). China. The typical phase occurs in Europe.