Perennial, much branched shrublets, woody at base, 40-60 cm tall, branches covered with scattered clumps of white hairs, sparsely to moderately hairy in between the clumps. Leaves 7-22 x 1-2 mm, upper ones usually smaller, linear, linear-lanceolate, with a small mucro, greenish, margin recurved, more or less densely hairy on both the surfaces but more on the lower side, with clumps of hairs on both surfaces. Capitula arranged in terminal or axillary corymbs, whitish, 4-5 x 3-4 mm on densely hairy peduncles with clumps of hairs but not as pronounced as on branches and leaves; phyllaries 4-5 seriate, whitish and scarious in the upper half and brown in the lower half, outer ones 3-4 x c. 1 mm, oblong, densely floccose to lanate in the middle and at the base, middle and inner ones 4-5 x 0.4-0.8 mm, more or less oblong-terete, densely floccose to lanate in the middle. Capitula homogamous either with female florets or bisexual florets (functionally male). Corolla of female florets 3-3.5 mm long. Cypselas c. 0.5 mm long, papillose; pappus 3-3.5 (-4) mm long. Corolla of bisexual florets 2-4 mm long; pappus 2.5-4 mm long, bristly, ovary more or less abortive, papillose.

Fl.Per.: July-October.

Type: Pakistan: Chitral: c. 7 miles from Nishkoh on way to Tirchmir, Kamal Akhtar Malik & S. Nazimuddin 1568 (KUH!).

Distribution: Endemic to Pakistan – Chitral and Astore.

Related to A. virgata but differs by having large and scattered clumps of hairs on the stem and leaves, strictly homogamous capitula and eglandular or epapillose phyllaries.