Herbaceous perennial with cord-like creeping rhizomes forming extensive colonies; stems 9-18 cm tall; leaves elliptic to ovate, entire; blades 1-2.8 cm long, 0.5-1.6 cm wide, with a few short hairs; petioles 0.5-3.2 cm long; inflorescence capitate, glandular-puberulent; peduncles 1.8-5.5 cm long; bracts 5, green and becoming white at maturity, ovate, the tips rounded or apiculate, 6-10 cm long, 4-10 cm broad; flowers 16-25 per head, perianth green-white, tube 7-11 mm long, glandular, the lobes about 3 mm wide; anthocarps obconic, (3- to) 5-winged or angled, puberulent, 5-6.7 mm long. Flowers May to June.