Mains stems rather stout, creeping and rooting, sts subterranean, up to 5 dm. or more long; branchlets ascending, c. 1-2 cm. long, stout, ± pilose. Lvs 2-5 cm. long, occ. more, 11-13-foliolate. Axis and lflts densely hairy below, less densely hairy to glab. above, pale subglaucous green; stipules unidentate, pilose-ciliate. Upper lflts oblong to obovate, 3-5 × 3-4 mm., occ. larger; petiolule of terminal lflt 1-3 mm. long. Heads sessile or subsessile, 1·5-2.5 cm. diam. including spines, bractlets pilose. Cupules c. 2 mm. long, broad-turbinate, ± pilose. Spines rather stout to slender, up to 1·5 cm. long, pale to yellowish green, finally brownish yellow, occ. red-flushed (f. erubescens Bitter in Fedde Repert. nov. Spec. Regn. veg. 10, 1912, 499). Sepals ovate, subacute, yellowish green. Stamens 2, rarely 1 by abortion; anthers 2 (rarely 1 or 3), yellowish white, filaments elongating. Achenes 2, rarely 1 only developed.

2n = c. 42

Rhizomatous perennial; stems mat-forming, c. 1.2 mm diam., < 10 cm long, soon rooting and covered by soil; erect branchlets < 2 cm long. Lvs 1.5-9 cm long; stipules entire; leaflets 11-13, broad-obovate, 3-10 × 2.5-8 mm, with 7-14 obtuse teeth, dull grey-green or pale milky green on both surfaces, with veins and margins of lower surface hairy. Capitulum ± sessile, c. 5 mm diam. at flowering, c. 1 cm diam. at fruiting; florets c. 10; sepals 4; stamens 2; anthers white; styles 2, white; achenes 2. Fr. turbinate, c. 3 × 3 mm, sparsely to densely hairy; spines 4, yellow or crimson, < 1.5 cm long, bearing many retrorse, soft hairs at the tip.