Perennial herb, 10 – 25  cm tall with thick root. Leaves subglabrous, 6 – 15  x 0.7 – 2.5  cm, entire to sinuate toothed to pinnatifid, lobes serrate, runcinate, terminal lobe larger; petiole 1 – 2  cm long, winged at base. Scapes several, sparsely hairy above. Capitula  2 – 3  cm across. Involucre 1 – 1.6  cm long and broad, greenish-brown; outer phyllaries lanceolate, ± recurved, 3 – 8  x 1.5 – 3  mm, callose or indistinctly corniculate; inner phyllaries longer, linear-lanceolate. Ligules yellow, peripheral ones with dark stripes outside. Anthers polliniferous. Styles and stigmas brown to drying blackish. Cypselas brownish, stramineous, orangish or brownish-red; sharp spinulose above, rugose below, smooth at base, with 1 – 1.5  mm long, abruptly formed cone; beaks 7 – 11  mm long; pappus 5 – 6  mm long, white.

Note: This species may belong to the recently described section Turita Kirschner & Štěpánek. Two varieties are recognized in our area.