Perennial, erect or ascending herbs up to 40 cm tall. Rootstock short, thickened. Stems many, leafy, branched with terminal corymbose many-flowered inflorescence, Basal leaves 5-foliate, upper 3-5 foliate, petioles 3-6 cm long, tomentose. Basal stipules membranous with linear auricles, entire or divided, upper stipules green, oblong-linear to linear-lanceolate, divided. Leaflets obovate-cuneate, irregularly 6-12 lobed with secondary incisions, sessile, upper surface glabrous to subglabrous, green, lower surface dull white argenteo-tomentose, margin flat or a little revolute. Flowers small, 1.2-1.4 cm diam., yellow, pedicels 1-1.5 cm long, tomentose. Calyces subequal, 3.5-4.5 mm long, dull white tomentose with long hairs, outer sepals oblong obtuse, inner ovate acute. Petals 5-6.5 x 4.5-5.5 mm, obovate emarginate. Stamens 20. Carpels many, styles c. 1 mm, shiny, thickened and strongly papillose below, stigma dilated.

Lectotype: ‘Habitat in Europe ruderatis.’ RCN: 3784, Herb. Burser XVIII(2):3(UPS)(Jarvis l. c. 766. 2007).

B-7 Swat, Uthrot, ± 8,000 ft, R.R. Stewart & A. Rehman 2526 (BM), B-9 Kashmir, Sonamarg, A.P. Young 1884 (BM), Pir Panjal, no collector’s name 964 (K), Aliabad, ± 8,000 ft, C.B. Clarke 28681 (K), Baltal, August 1922, R.R. Stewart (K).

Distribution: Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan (Swat), Kashmir, China (Xinjiang), Mongolia, Russia (Siberia), Turkey, C. Asia, Europe and N. America.

Potentilla argentea is apomictic and a number of biotypes exist in the European populations of the species. However, the Himalayan form is of one type, uncommon and with much less variation.

Found between 2000 – 2700 m, not so common.