Artemisia vachanica Krasch. ex Poljakov in Not. Syst. Leningrad 16: 413. 1954; Poljakov in Schischk. & Bobrov, l. c. 623; Podlech in Rech. f., l. c. 158: 195. tt. 183, 220. 1986.

Perennial, basally woody, caespitose herb with several sterile and fertile, 20 – 30 cm high, erect, sulcate, sparsely arachnoid hairy to subglabrous, usually unbranched stems from upright, 1.5 – 2.5 cm thick rootstock. Leaves greyish hairy, basal and lower with c. 5 – 8 mm long petiole, lamina broadly ovate, 10 – 15 x 6 – 8 mm, bipinnatisect into linear, 1 – 2 (-2.5 mm) long segments; middle and upper stem leaves sessile, sparsely hairy to subglabrous, basally auriculate; uppermost in floral region undivided, carinate, narrowly lanceolate, acute. Capitula homogamous, sessile, upright, ovate, 2 – 3 x c. 1.5 mm, remote or glomerules of 2-3 in interrupted, up to 2 cm wide spike or panicle with erect, c. 5 mm long branches. Involucre 3-4-seriate, phyllaries punctate glandular, imbricate, outermost small, externally hairy, inner ones ovate, subglabrous to almost glabrous with wide scarious margins. Florets 3 – 4, all bisexual, with purpureus, c. 1.75 mm long, tubular corolla.

Fl. Per.: August-September.

Type: Tadzhikistan, In valle fl. Pamir, prope Langar, Th. Alexeenko 3251 (LE).

Distribution: Pakistan (Chitral, Gilgit), Kashmir, Afghanistan and Central Asia (Pamir Alai).