Perennial, erect herbs. Rootstock much divided. Stem 5-20 cm long, densely sericeous with very reduced stem leaves. Leaves ternate. Basal stipules membranous with oblong ovate and acuminate auricles, upper stipules leafy, ovate, enitre. Leaflets ovate elliptic to obovate-elliptic, variable in size (0.7) 1.3-3.5 x (0.5) 1.0-2.9 cm, acutely 12-18 serrate-dentate, upper surface densely sericeous, lower dull white tomentose with long sericeous hairs. Flowers conspicuous, 1.5-2.3 cm diam., calyces densely sericeous, outer sepals ovate obtuse, inner oblong-ovate acute. Petals yellow or red, 7-11 mm long and broad. Stamens and carpels numerous. Style c. 1.8-2.2 mm long, filiform, thickened below.

Type: Gossain Than, Wall. Catalogue no.1019 (K).

B-6 Chitral, Drosh (Beorai), 35 33 N, 71 48 E, ± 12,500 ft, S.A. Bowes Lyon 200 (BM), B-7 Mansehra, Kaghan Valley, Mount Makra, ± 4,000 m, Muqarrab Shah & Jamshed 8 (ABD), Swat, above Batain, Ushu, ± 10,000 ft, R.R. Stewart & A. Rahman 25335 (BM), B-8 Kashmir, Pahalgam, ± 11,000 ft, R.R. Stewart & I.D. Stewart 5553 (RAW), Apharawat above Gulmarg, ± 13,000 ft, O. Polunin 9597 (MICH), Lidder Valley, E of Srinagar, Janet Maxwell 23 (E), Kishtwar, 11-12,000 ft, Thomson (K), Nichanai, 18 miles NW of Sonamarg, 11,500 ft, F.G. Dickason 682 (MICH), near Har Nag Pass, SE of Kolahoi Mountains, F.G. Dickason 687 (MICH), near Battal, 10-11,000 ft, J.F. Duthie 11608 (E), Ladakh, Khardong La, Leh, F. Ludlow & G. Sherriff 8548 (E, BM), Pensi La, Zaskar, 16,500 ft, W. Koelz 5869 (MICH), Lingtil Chu, ± 15,000 ft, J.D.A. Stainton 7698 (E), Zogi-La Pass, 11,500 ft, H.H. Rich 285 (K), Lonsal nullah, 13-14,000 ft, J.F. Duthie 13372 (E), Kashmir, no precise locality, Miss. C.C. Burt 191 (E), Gangerbal, ± 13,500 ft, J.D.A. Stainton 5046 (BM), Zaiwan, Sind Valley, Ludlow & Sherriff 7649 (BM, E), Kilung, 6-8-1951, William O. Douglas (US), Matten, 3,200-3,900 m, Deutsche Karakorum expedition, 1959, area of Hunza and Nagar, 74 09 E, 36 22 N, F. Lobbichler 168 (W), B-8 Deosai Plains, ± 4,000 m, Muqarrab Shah & Jamshed 260B (ABD).

Distribution: Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bhutan.

A dwarf perennial herb common in the upper, drier mountains of the Himalayan range from 3,600 to 5,000 m.