Main stems rather stout, procumbent, rooting; branches densely pilose, ascending, c. 5 cm. long. Lvs 3·5-5 cm. long (on main stems up to 10 cm. long), 7-9-foliolate. Stipules lanceolate, simple or 1-2-fid. Lflts grey-glaucous on both surfaces, rather sparingly hairy above, clothed in silky hairs below; upper lflts up to 12 mm. long, dentate, subsessile; terminal lflt on petiolule up to 5 mm. long. Scapes densely pilose, up to 15 cm. long, with one or more pairs of bracts, sts with solitary fls in axils. Heads up to 2 cm. diam. including spines. Cupules obconic, 4-angled, densely pilose. Spines up to 5 mm. long, clear brown, sts with small accessory spines. Sepals lanceolate, densely hairy below. Stamens 2, rarely 3; anthers white. Stigma white, plumose.

2n = 42

Stoloniferous perennial; prostrate stems 1-2 mm diam., < 30 cm long; erect stems 1-2 mm diam., < 4 cm long. Lvs 2-10 cm long; stipules entire or 2-fid; leaflets 7-11, broadly obovate, 5-12 × 3-8 mm, 7-10-toothed, with lower ⅓ of margin entire, glaucous and hairy on both surfaces, rugose on upper surface; teeth penicillate, often red. Scape (7)-20 cm long, pilose; capitulum c. 10 mm diam. at flowering, < 2 cm diam. (including spines) at fruiting; florets c. 50-70; sepals 4; stamens 2; anthers white; style 1, white; achene 1. Fr. obconic, c. 4 × 2 mm, densely hairy; spines 4, pale brown, < 7.5 mm long, barbed.