A. vulgaris non L.: C. B. Clarke in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 3: 325. 1882 pro parte; A. subdigitata Mattf. in Fedde, Rep. Sp. Nov. 22: 243. 1926 pro parte.

Perennial, with several, erect, 1-1.8 m tall, sulcate, purpureus, glabrescent, stout stems from woody, upright rootstock. Leaves shortly petiolate to almost sessile, oblong-elliptic to broadly ovate, 8-12 x 6-9 cm, green and white dotted above along with or without sparse T-shaped hairs, greyish-green arachnoid hairy beneath to almost glabrous, bipinnatisect, primary segments elliptic-lanceolate, 3-4.5 x 1.5-2.5 cm, acute-mucronate; secondary segments ± elliptic-lanceolate, 1-1.5 x 2.5-4.5 mm, acute or ± obtuse, revolute; uppermost leaves linear-lanceolate, with or without basal auricles. Capitula numerous, heterogamous, oblong-campanulate, 3-3.5 x c. 2 mm, ± approximate, almost sessile, in a narrow to broad, 15-30 x 10-20 cm panicle with ascending to ± patent (upper), up to 25 x 2-3 cm primary branches. Involucre 4-seriate, phyllaries laxly imbricate, all sparsely arachnoid hairy outside, outermost narrowly ovate, c. 1.25 x 0.75 mm, green, acute, hairy; median elliptic to narrowly obovate, c. 2.25-3 x 1.25 mm, narrowly scarious on margins with purplish tinge; innermost narrowly obovate, c. 2.5 x 1 mm, obtuse, widely scarious hyaline on margins and apex. Receptacle ± flat, glabrous. Florets 16-20, purplish, all fertile; marginal florets 6-8, with c. 1 mm long, basally broadened, bidentate, glandulose corolla tube and long exserted style branches; disc-florets 10-12, with c. 1.75 mm long, 5-toothed, glandulose, apically very sparsely hairy corolla tube. Cypselas brown, c. 1.25-1.5 mm long, with terminal corolliform scar.

Fl. Per.: August-October.

Type: India, Kumaon, Blinkworth s. n. (K-W!).

Distribution: Pakistan, Northern India, China, Xizang and Nepal.

This species is easily distinguished from the closely related taxa by the leaves with many white small dots on the upper surface.