Artemisia rhodantha Ruprecht, Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint Pétersbourg, Sér. 7, 14(4): 52. 1869.

Herbs, perennial, 4-15(-20) cm tall, with a thick rootstock and capitate branches, densely white tomentose. Lower stem leaves: petiole 5-10 mm; leaf blade suborbicular or ovate, densely incanous tomentose, 2(or 3)-pinnati- or subpalmatisect; segments 3 or 4(or 5) pairs; lobules linear, 2-3 mm. Middle stem leaves shortly petiolate, 2-pinnatisect. Upper leaves pinnatisect; leaflike bracts linear or elliptic, entire. Synflorescence a narrow, spikelike panicle. Involucre ovoid or ovoid-oblong, 1.5-2(-2.5) mm in diam.; phyllaries densely gray tomentose. Florets 5-7; corolla limb red. Achenes ovoid or obovoid. Fl. and fr. Aug-Oct.

Rocky slopes, steppes, terraces; (1500-)2100-3700 m. SW Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan].