Perennial herb to 1m tall, glabrous or hairy. Stems erect, simple. Basal leaves almost round, to 30 cm long, to 40 cm wide, margins toothed, long-petiolate. Stem leaves smaller, shortly petiolate. Capitula few to many in loose corymbs, to 12 cm across; summer. Ray florets bright orange. Disk florets yellow. Achenes about 9 mm long. Pappus tinged red.
China, Japan
L. hodgsonii Hook. from Japan is an erect herb to 80 cm tall with almost round, toothed basal leaves on long petioles, large capitula in terminal corymbs and bright yellow to orange ray florets;
L. przewalskii (Maxim.) Diels from northern China is an erect herb to 2 m tall with palmately lobed basal leaves on long petioles, small capitula in long narrow racemes and few yellow ray florets.
Source: (2002). Dahlia. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 4. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 3. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.