Oreoseris nivea Candolle, Prodr. 7: 18. 1838.

Herbs, perennial; rhizome glabrous. Leaves in basal rosette; petiole 1-4 cm, lanuginous; leaf blade obovate-spatulate, 3.5-9 × 1-2.7 cm, papery, abaxially gray lanuginous, adaxially glabrous, base attenuate, margin pinnatilobate to pinnatisect, apex obtuse to acuminate. Scapes 15-25 cm, arachnoid lanate; bracts absent or 1 or 2, subulate, ca. 1 cm. Capitula solitary, nodding, terminal, radiate, 2.5-3 cm in diam.; involucre campanulate; phyllaries 4-seriate, outer phyllaries subulate, ca. 1 cm × 1 mm, base lanuginous, innermost phyllaries oblong-lanceolate, ca. 2 cm × 3 mm. Marginal female florets bilabiate, outer lips light red, long elliptic, 14-15 × 3-4 mm, inner lips ca. 8 mm, coiled, staminode apices erect; central bisexual florets many, bilabiate, corolla ca. 1.1 cm. Achenes terete, ca. 3 mm, glabrous, multiribbed; pappus 8-10 mm. Fl. Aug-Sep.

Alpine meadows, forest margins; 3300-4100 m. W Sichuan, S Xizang, NW Yunnan [Bhutan, India, Nepal].