Aerial shoots 5-30(-35) cm, from rhizomes, rhizomes horizontal. Basal leaves 0-1, ternate; petiole 4-20 cm; terminal leaflet sessile to petiolulate, oblanceolate to rhombic, oblong, or ovate, 1-5(-6) × 0.7-2.5(-3.5) cm, base narrowly cuneate, margins sharply serrate on distal 1/2(-2/3), apex acuminate to acute, surfaces strigose to nearly glabrous; lateral leaflets unlobed or 1×-lobed; ultimate lobes 0.4-10 mm wide. Inflorescences 1-flowered; peduncle proximally glabrous, distally villous to pilose; involucral bracts 3, 1-tiered, ternate, ±similar to basal leaves, bases distinct; terminal leaflet sessile to petiolulate, oblanceolate to rhombic, oblong, or ovate, 1-8 × 0.8-3(-3.5) cm, bases narrowly cuneate to cuneate, margins crenate to serrate on distal 1/2(-2/3), apex acuminate to acute, surfaces abaxially glabrous or strigose, adaxially nearly glabrous to strigose; lateral leaflets unlobed or 1×-lobed; ultimate lobes 0.5-10 mm wide. Flowers: sepals 5-7(-8), blue to purple, reddish, or purple to pink (rarely nearly white or abaxially reddish, violet, or marginally purple, adaxially white), ovate, oblong, or elliptic, 10-20 × 5-8(-10) mm, glabrous; stamens 30-75. Heads of achenes nearly spheric; pedicel (1.5-)2-5(-7) cm. Achenes: body oblong to ellipsoid, 4-5 × 1.5-2 mm, not winged, puberulous to pilose, rarely glabrous; beak ±straight, (0.5-)1-1.5 mm, glabrous.