Greyish, tomentose, perennials, woody at base. Stem erect or arcuate, woolly, (25-) 30-40 (-70) cm tall branched. Leaves erect, spreading narrowly linear, 12-27 x 1-2 mm, acute to apiculate, base attenuate, tightly convolute, woolly on both surfaces, upper leaves with cuspidate and membranous tips. Capitula on densely woolly, 2-4 mm long, peduncles in loose corymbs, not dense, 3-4 x 4-5 mm, shiny, pinkish, sparsely papillose; phyllaries 5-6-seriate, lower portion leathery or leafy, upper portion membranous, pinkish, outer lanceolate, acute, middle and inner oblong, apiculate, usually double in length than the outer bracts, shiny. Bisexual florets 25-40 in predominantly male capitula with 2-3, female florets; female florets 30 in predominantly female capitula with 3-6, bisexual florets. Corolla of female florets light brown, filiform, 2.5-3.4 mm; of bisexual florets light brown, 2-3 mm, tubular with glandular lobes. Cypselas of female florets ± 1 mm long, oblong papillose, light brown; ovary of bisexual florets (functionally male) ± 0.5 mm, long, dark brown, papillose, oblong. Pappus 2.5-3.5 mm, white, bristly.

Fl.Per.: June-September.

Holotype: Chitral: In Jugo Baroghil, 3300 m, Stainton 3032 (BM!), Isotype (G).

A plant of higher altitudes, grows between 2500-3500 m in rock crevices and moraines of glaciers; Distribution: N W Pakistan and Kashmir.