Senecio kjellmanii A. E. Porsild, Rhodora 41: 299. 1939, based on Cineraria frigida Richardson forma tomentosa Kjellman in A. E. Nordenskiöld, Vega Exp. Vetensk. Iakttag. 2: 13, plate 1. 1883, not S. tomentosus Michaux 1803; S. atropurpureus (Ledebour) B. Fedtschenko subsp. tomentosus (Kjellman) Hultén; S. atropurpureus var. dentatus A. Gray ex Hultén; S. frigidus (Richardson) Lessing var. tomentosus (Kjellman) Cufodontis; Tephroseris atropurpurea (Ledebour) Holub subsp. tomentosa (Kjellman) Á. Löve & D. Löve

Perennials, 7–15 cm (stems and leaves floccose-tomentose or unevenly glabrate, distal stems and bases of phyllaries brown-woolly; rhizomes creeping). Stems single or loosely clustered. Leaves basal and cauline; petioles wingless or weakly winged (1–4 cm); blades ovate to subrhombic, 1–3 × 1–2 cm, margins usually irregularly toothed, sometimes subentire (proximal cauline leaves similar, petioles winged; distal leaves smaller, sessile, clasping, bractlike). Heads 1(–2). Involucres ± abruptly contracted to peduncles. Phyllaries 13(–21), greenish (tips greenish or purplish, usually obscured by dense, brown indument), 7–10 mm. Ray florets (0–)13; laminae 7–12+ mm. Disc florets 30–50; corollas yellow or light yellow. Cypselae glabrous; pappi white or whitish. 2n = 48, 96.

Flowering May–Aug. Wet soils, tundra meadows, ridges, scree slopes; 0–2000 m; N.W.T., Yukon; Alaska; e Asia (Russian Far East).