Spreading perennial, undershrubs. Basal stem 15-30 cm. long, prostrate, woody, covered with overlapping stipules. Floral stem 10-15 cm. long, terminal, densely pilose. Leaves many, crowded at the base, interruptedly 3-4 paired, petioles 2-4 cm. long, pubescent. Basal stipules oblong-ovate to ovate-lanceolate acuminate, membranous, sheathing and overlapping, auriculate, densely sericeous, upper stipules ovate, semi-membranous, acute. Leaflets 2-3.5 (-4) x 1-1.4 cm., obovate, acutely 10-14 serrate-dentate, coriaceous, glabrous and green above, farinose below, subsessile or with small petiolules. Flowers 4-8, terminal, conspicuous, 2.5-3.0 cm. diam, white. Calyces densely sericeous, outer sepals 5-7 mm. long linear-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, acute, inner twice as long as the outer, oblong-ovate, cuspidate. Petals 1.2-1.6 cm. long, suborbicular. Stamens about 25. Carpels numerous, concealed in long dense creamy white hairs, styles lateral, 3.5-4.5 mm. long, filiform.

Fl. Per.: July-September

Type, ‘Torrens Tschnia Siberiae’, Salesov (LE).

A-7 Chitral Dist., Roshgol, N.E. of Tirich Mir, ± 11,000 ft, J.D.A. Stainton 2829 (K), Barum Gol, c. 3,500 m, 20-7-50, Wendelbo, (K), Torikhoo, Shah Jinali, in rocky crevices, 3315 m, rare, Haidar Ali 4570 (KUH), Shekhlasht Khote, 3819 m, Haidar Ali 6816 (KUH), A-8 Gilgit, south facing slope about 4 miles N.W. of Hispar village, Nagar state, ± 13,000 ft, earthy and scree slopes, flowers white, underside of leaves white, O. Polunin 6328 (BM, B, G), Kikthejerab, Chupurson, 3600 m, on stony slope, Jan Alam et al. 1135b (KUH), B-8 Baltistan, Gharesa glacier ± 12,000 ft, terminal moraines, sheltered area, flowers white, loose shrubby growth, O. Polunin 6090 (BM, B), Baltistan, along Satpara River, c. 3 miles south of Skardu, ± 9,000 ft, petals white, disc yellowish green, G .L. Webster & Eugene Nasir 5807 (G, W), On way to Satpara Lake, Saood Omer 377 (BM, KUH), Satpara Nullah above Skardu 12-13,000 ft., J.F. Duthie 12002 (E), 10 miles from Skardu to Deosai Plains, on stony slope near stream ± 2,800 m., Muqarrab Shah & Jamshed 283 (ABD), Between Burgi-La and Skardu 3,800-4,300 m., F. Schmid 711 (G), Biafo glacier, Hans Hartmann 825 (G), Muchuar-Tal ± 3,000 m., 259 (W), Between Gasherbrum and Shigar, lower Baltoro glacier, on the moraine, 4,200 m., 31-7-56, G. Weiler (W), Ghondakoro glacier basin at the foot of the Masherbrum ± 11,000 ft, common on gravelly outwash plain, G. L. Webster & Eugene Nasir 6034 (G, W), Chanchee nullah, Mir Ajab & Afzal 1875 (K), Phakora ± 11,000 ft, on steep stony hillsides, S. Bowes Lyon 8223 (K), Kashmir, Ladakh, Hemmis Nullah Leh, ± 12,000 ft. rocky cliffs, flowers white, F. Ludlow & Sherriff 8465 (E), Fotu La, W. Koelz 6234 (B), Testha, Zaskar, ± 13,500 ft, J.D.A. Stainton 8400 (BM), Piti (Ladakh), 11-14,000 ft, Thomson, without no., (W, G).

Distribution: Central Asia (Tienshan, Pamir Alai), Mongolia, Pakistan, Kashmir and China (Xizang).

The species is common in northern areas of Pakistan (Gilgit, Baltistan, Chitral) and Kashmir, on stony slopes generally near rivers and streams, between 2,500–3,500 m.

A distinct species first described under Potentilla in 1808 and then transferred to another genus,Comarum L. by Bunge (1839) followed by Juzepczek (1941), and Schiman-Czeika (1969). This is not accepted by most other workers. Th. Wolf (1908) included it in Potentilla palustris (L.) Scop. = Comarum Palustre L. in the grex Palustres of his section Trichocarpae under the genus Potentilla. Potentilla salesoviana has carpels which are completely concealed whi le Potentilla palustris has completely glabrous carpels and the former is shrubby whi le the latter is a herb. It is appropriate to keep them apart in different subgenera within the genus Potentilla because of these basic contrasting characters.