Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Erect perennial herbs.

Stems: Stems 0.5–1.5 m long, appressed pilose.

Roots: Creeping rhizomes.

Leaves: Leaves compound (ternate). Alternate, basal. Leaflets ovate, leaflets 4–20 cm long, 5–15 cm wide; cauline leaves rarely opposite or forming an involucre subtending the inflorescence, palmately lobed or divided or compound. Base cordate. Upper surfaces green, sparsely strigose; lower surfaces pale green, appressed pilose, primarily along veins. Margins toothed and lobed. Petiolate. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in scape 30--100 (--120) cm, sparsely pubescent; cyme 2- or 3-branched, many flowered. involucral bracts 3; petiole 2--3 cm, base sheathing; bract blade similar to that of leaves, ternate, 3--7 cm. Flowers bisexual (perfect), actinomorphic. Calyx of 5–20 sepals; sepals white, often tinged pink or purple, lower surface velvety pubescent. Corolla (petals) absent or present as gland-like staminodes. Stamens numerous, 4--6 mm, distinct; anthers ellipsoid, dithecal, opening by a longitudinal slit; filament filiform. Ovary superior, carpels numerous, long stipitate, ca.1.5 mm, 1-celled, velutinous; style short; stigma rectangular.

Fruit: Achenes numerous in a globose head; ca. 2 mm long; long–pilose. Achenes ovoid; ca. 2 × 1 mm; lanate; hairs 3--4 mm; style straight; short.

Ploidy: 2n = 16

Habitat: Open; wet; disturbed areas along roadsides and in wet forest.

Elevation Range: 1,080–1,530 m.