Japan Flora: Stems scapose, slender, 30-50 cm. long, rarely to 1 m. long, hairy and cobwebby, usually slightly branched; radical leaves very thin, rosulate, lanceolate-elliptic, usually 15-30 cm. long, acute to acuminate, gradually narrowed at base, subsessile, cfeeply pinnatifid, the segments 7-9 pairs, approximate, ovate, irregularly 3- to 5-lobed, glabrous or pubescent on upper side, pubescent on nerves beneath, the spines 2-3 (-5) mm. long; cauline leaves few, small, oblong or lanceolate, acuminateļ¼ slightly clasping, pinnately lobulate or incised; heads few, nodding, on long peduncles, the bracteal leaves 1-3, obsolete; involucres cobwebby, campanulate-tubular, 15-1.7 cm. long, 1.5-2.5 cm. wide; bracts thin, 6-seriate, erect or spreading, short spine-tipped, the outer linear-lanceolate; corollas purplish, 18- 21 mm. long. Sept.-Oct. Woods in mountains.