Perennial with a long, slender, vertical, woody rhizome bearing remains of leaves from former years. Stem 5-30 cm, with more or less dense, patent, soft hairs. Petioles long, hairy l ike the stem. Lamina ternate, leaflets free to the base or nearly so, sometimes shortly stalked, broadly ovate to obovate, 3-lobed for one or two thirds, lobes either dentate to sharply serrate or shortly lobed again. Leaves of involucre sessile or subsessile, 2-3-lobed to or slightly beyond the middle, segments ± deeply incised and serrate-dentate. All leaves with long wooly hairs below and along margin, glabrous to subglabrous above. Flowers 1-2, 4-5 cm broad, if 2, the lateral peduncle with an involucel, that is similar to the involucre but slightly smaller. Sepals obovate, often ± tru ncate at apex, 25-30 mm long, 1/2 to 2 times as long as wide, pubescent outside. Carpels forming a globose to ovate head, densely embedded in wool which is surpassed only by the slender style.

Fl. Per.: June-August.

Type: Kashmir, in rocks above Pir-Pendjal, Jacquemont.

Gilgit: A-7 Chantir Gah, Schmid 2145 (RAW,G), Ishkoman Pass, Bowes Lyon 8228 (RAW), Chitral: Marmano Shal, 4000 m, 8.7.1950, Wendelbo s.n. (RAW), B-7 Hazara: Mt. Makra, Y. Nasir & W. Meijer 8861 (RAW): base of Mt. Makra, Y. & I. Nasir & W. Meijer 7665 (RAW), id., 5.7.53, M.A. Kazmi s.n. (KUH), about Sharan, Y. Nasir & W. Meijer 8905 (RAW), Siran vy., 9-10,000', 30.6.1896, Inayat s.n. (RAW), Saiful Maluk, Shaukat Ali 50 (RAW), Kagan vy., Inayat 20723 (KUH), Baltistan: B-8 Satpura nala, R.R. Stewart 20229 (RAW), Kashmir: above Gadsar, R.R. & I.D. Stewart 18408 (RAW), below Kun Pathar, 10-11,000', R.R. & I.D. Stewart 18489 (RAW).

Distribution: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir eastward to Sikkim Himalaya, Tibet, W. China.

As already mentioned by Hooker f. and Thomson (l.c.) the leaves of this species are variable so far the shape of marginal teeth and pubescence are concerned. It is therefore not feasible to recognize infra-specific taxa, which do not show any geographical correlation. Fairly common from 3300-4200 m on rocky outcrops.