Plants many branched, with crowded shoots forming cushions. Flowering stem 0.8-2.5 cm, glandular hairy, leafy. Shoot leaves aggregated into a rosette, oblong to subspatulate, 4-7 × 1.3-2 mm, leathery, both surfaces glabrous, chalk glands 5, margin denticulate-ciliate proximally or glabrous, apex recurved, obtuse. Cauline leaves lanceolate-oblong, 3.5-5 × ca. 1 mm, chalk gland 1, margin glandular hairy proximally, apex obtuse or acute. Cyme (2 or)3- or 4-flowered, rarely flower solitary; branches ca. 1 cm. Sepals erect, purple, oblong to sublanceolate, 2-3 × 1-1.4 mm, abaxially and marginally sparsely glandular pilose, veins 3, not confluent at apex, apex acute. Petals usually pink, obovate, ca. 5 × 2.5-3.3 mm, 5-veined, base gradually narrowed into a short claw, apex obtuse. Stamens 3-3.5 mm. Ovary semi-inferior; styles 1.5-2.2 mm. Fl. Jun-Aug. 2n = 26.

In FRPS, Saxifraga afghanica was described as having solitary flowers. The belief that this species normally has 1-flowered cymes originates from the drawing provided by Engler and Irmscher (in Engler, Pflanzenr. 69(IV. 117. II): 567, fig. 116, F. 1919). This is not the usual condition, as the protologue makes clear when it refers to the cymes being (2 or)3- or 4-flowered.

Alpine rock crevices; 4200-4500 m. S Qinghai (Nangqên Xian, Zadoi Xian), S Xizang (Lhasa Shi) [Afghanistan, Kashmir, Nepal, Pakistan].