Stout perennial, 40-100(-200) cm high. Stem arising from a divided root-stock, simple or branched, slightly sulcate, glabrous beneath the inflorescence. Leave ternately pinnate or biternate, the lower ones with a long, the upper ones with a very short petiole, leaflets ovate-acuminate, deeply and sharply serrate-dentate with ± irregular teeth. Inflorescence glandular-pubescent, a long branched, very rarely simple, many-flowered raceme, branches of inflorescence and pedicles sometimes grayish with short hairs. Bracts shorter than the pedicels. Sepals petaloid, soon deciduous. Petals (nectarines) with a ± scarious margin, slightly emarginated or rarely entire. Carpels up to 5, pubescent, glabrescent. Seeds. With long flattened ± patent scales.

Fl.Per: May-June.

Type: Described from Siberia.

B-7 Hazara: Kagan vy., Inayat Khan 19127 (RAW), B-8 Kashmir: above Gulmarg, 10,000’, R.R. Stewart 103352 (RAW), Sankh, Poonch, 2.10.1952, A. Rashid Khan s.n. (RAW), Mundakuli, Karnah, Lipa Valley, 17.9.1969, Jan Mohd s.n. (RAW), Keran-Reshna, ± 5500’, R.R. & I.D. Stewart 17682 (RAW).

Distribution: Widely distributed in Central and Eastern Europe, Turkey, Himalaya from Kashmir to Bhutan, W. & N. China, Korea, Mongolia.

The eastern border of the species range is not quite clear, as the correlation between morphological characters and chromosome numbers are still doubtful from Emura’s Papers. In Bhutan and Tibet, the tetraploid cytotype seems to r eplace the diploid one as described here.

There is no difference whatsoever between the European and the Himalayan collections, wh ile plants from Siberia Subsp. foetida heave sparse to dense glandular stems. In the author’s opinion a recognition above the rank of subspecies does not seem to be justified.