Japan Flora: Stems pubescent; median cauline leaves narrowly elliptic-oblanceo­late, short-acuminate, semiclasping, pinnatifid, the lobes 5 or 6 pairs, distant^ ovate-acuminate, coarsely incised, pubescent on both sides, the spines 3-8 mm. long, the upper leaves clasping; heads solitary, long-pedunculate, nodding at anthesis; involu­cres globose-campanulate, about 2 cm. long, about 4 cm. wide, the bracts 6-seriate, the outer gradually narrowed, 3-3.5 cm. long, longer than the inner; corollas purplish, about 15 mm. long.  Aug. High mountains.

Honshu (Hida Mt. range).

var. otayae (Kitam.) Kitam. Stems 40-100 cm. long; median cauline leaves broader, broadly clasping at base, the lobes approximate, pubescent on both sides, the spines 1-2 mm. long; involucres about 15 mm. long, 2.5-3 cm. wide, the outer and median bracts spreading to recurved on upper half; corolla-limb shorter than the broader part of the tube. Aug. High mountains; Honshu (Hida Mt. range and Mount Hakusan in Kaga).