Erect, perennial herb, 25−60 cm tall. Stem cylindrical, sulcate, narrowly winged, wing triangular or lanceolate. Leaves subglabrous-pilose above, arachnoid-cobwebby, pilose-septate crisped hairy beneath, sessile, dilated towards base, ovate- elliptic to oblanceolate, (5-) −10 (−15) cm long, (1.5-) 3−6 cm wide, pinnatilobed to pinnatipartite, lobes ovate−lanceolate-triangular in outline, denticulate, having 3−8) mm long spines at the apex, terminal lobes large, lanceolate. Basal leaves sometimes in rosettes, cauline leaves akin to basal, but smaller, 2-4 cm long, 1-2 cm wide. Peduncle spiny-winged and leafy, slightly naked below capitulum. Capitula subglobose, oblong-ovoid, usually solitary terminal or in pairs,  2-3.5 cm across, 1.5−3 cm long, basally umbonate, erect or suberect. Involucre subglobose - oblong, arachnoid-cobwebby, with or without stiffer or patent phyllaries.. Phyllaries 3‒4‒seriate, outer and median lanceolate to linear or subulate, 5‒10 (-15) mm long, 1-‒2 mm wide, midrib prominent, spiny and acuminate, inner ones linear-subulate or lanceolate, 15- 18 (-20) mm long, 1-4 mm wide. Corolla purple pink or violet, 15‒16 (‒18) mm long, tube 5-9 mm long, limb ca 10 mm long including ca 5 mm long lobes. Cypselas 4‒5 mm long, oblanceolate, transversely rugose, brown with an apical rim and umbo. Pappus whitish or smoky, 10‒12 mm long, longer than phyllaries.

Two subspecies are recognized in our region.