Stems erect, 11-40 cm, villous, each with 8-35 flowers. Roots dimorphic, some filiform, 0.2-0.6 mm thick and some with tuberous bases 1-2 mm thick. Basal leaves persistent, blades ovate, orbiculate, or transversely elliptic, outer blades undivided, inner 3-parted or 3-foliolate, 1-3.3 × 1-3 cm, base truncate to broadly obtuse or sometimes weakly cordate, margins crenate, apex rounded-obtuse. Flowers: pedicels glabrous or villous; receptacle glabrous; sepals 2-4 × 1-1.5 mm, abaxially glabrous or pubescent, hairs colorless; petals 5, 1.5-3.5 × 0.5-1.5 mm; nectary scale glabrous. Heads of achenes globose to cylindric, 3-7 × 2-4 mm; achenes 1.1-1.5 × 1-1.3 mm, glabrous; beak subulate, straight or curved, 0.2-0.3 mm. 2 n = 16. Flowering spring (Mar-May). Woods, meadows, and clearings; 0-1000 m; Ala., Ark., Conn., D.C., Ill., Ind., Kans., Ky., Md., Mass., Miss., Mo., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., S.Dak., Tenn., Va., W.Va.