A. subspinescens Boiss., l. c. 91; A. persica Boiss. var. subspinescens (Boiss.) Boiss., Fl. Or. 374. 1875; A. sacrorum Ledeb. var. minor Ledeb. forma wallichiana Pamp. subf. vestita Pamp. in Nuov. Giorn. Bot. Ital.. n. s. 46: 580. 1927-pro parte.

A densely greyish tomentose, basally woody shrublet with several or occasionally solitary, 25-75 cm tall, ascending or upright, simple or branched, striate-costate, densely leaved, rarely glabrescent stems from a much branched, woody rootstock. Leaves 3-pinnatisect, primary and secondary rachis lobulate; basal and lower stem leaves with up to 1.5 cm long petiole, lamina oblong-obovate, 1.2-3.5 (-4.5) x 0.8-2 cm, primary segments ascending to patent, ultimate segments linear-oblong to lanceolate, 1.5-2.5 x 0.5-0.8 (-1) mm, obtuse; upper leaves sessile and gradually smaller; uppermost in floral region linear. Capitula heterogamous, on (1-) 2-4 mm long peduncles, remote, subglobose, c. 3-3.5 mm long and broad, secund nodding in narrow, ± oblong-pyramidate, up to 30 x 8-12 cm panicle with ascending to obliquely erect, 6-20 cm long branches. Involucre 3-4-seriate; phyllaries loosely imbricate, ± keeled; outermost linear-oblong, c. 2 mm long; inner elliptic, 2-2.5 x 0.75-1 mm, obtuse, hoary pubescent in the middle part, margins scarious. Receptacle convex, densely to laxly long hairy or almost glabrous. Florets all fertile, yellow, 40-50; marginal florets 8-12, with compressed, c. 0.8 mm long, punctate-glandulose corolla tube; disc-florets bisexual, 30-40, with 5-dentate, apically densely long hairy, 1-1.5 mm long corolla tube. Cypselas light brown, oblong, c. 1 mm long, smooth.

Fl. Per.: June-September.

Holotype: Persia in regione media montis Kuh Daena, Th. Kotschy 630 (G) isotype (O).

Common in North Western districts of Chitral, Baltistan, Gilgit and Kashmir from 2500-3500 msl in sandy soils mixed with limestone gravel and rocky hillslopes; Distribution: Tibet, Indo-Pakistan subcontinent (Himalaya, Karakorum and Hindukush), Afghanstan, Soviet Union (Tian Shen & Pamir Alai) and Iran.

The plant is strongly scented and used as a tonic, febrifuge and vermifuge in Afghanistan and Chitral.