Fl. Per.: April-August.

Holotype: N.W. Himalaya, 6,000-10,000 ped., Thesium Thompson 13 (K).

Distribution: N. W. & W. Himalaya.

The taxon Thesium afghanicum except for the narrower leaves does not differ to any substantial degree from the var. hookeri. Hendrych (1962) in his diagnoses of Thesium afghanicum states the stem to be simple; in the isotypes examined (K, BM), the stem is clearly branched. Moreover the isotypes clearly approach the var. hookeri in the taller habit (up to 23 cm), larger leaves (3.6 cm), bracts (3.5 cm) and bracteoles (6-17 mm).

Plants from the Sakesar range (Jhelum Dist.) and from the Margalla (Islamabad Dist.) are taller and more branched (40-60 cm) as compared to specimens seen from elsewhere. They also have leaves which are always 1-nerved. In facies these plants resemble Thesium multicaule Ledeb., but differ in the more slender habit, spreading branches, shorter and subglobose nuts. Plants similar to these have also been observed from the Bashahr and Simla hills (W. Himalaya).