Perennial herb; stems few, usually less than 1 m tall; branches ascending and mostly originating near the base; herbage grayish-canescent or subtomentose with soft stellate hairs; leaves 2-4 cm long, broadly ovate in outline, irregularly crenate to dentate and deeply lobed, with mostly three lobes, central lobe longer than the lateral two, base truncate to cordate; inflorescence a narrow, leafy thyrse; calyx segments 6-7 mm long at anthesis, densely pubescent; petals 5, whitish to lavender-pink or red-orange, 10-18 mm long; Stamens numerous, filaments united at the base; fruit a schizocarp of 12-15 pie-shaped segments (carpels) that are net-like reticulate on the lower side walls. Flowers in April and possibly again in late summer.