Filago hurdwarica (Wall. ex DC.) Wagenitz

Although rather variable in some characters (type of indumentum, size of glomerules) the species is easily recognized by the structure of the involucre.

Similar to F. desertorum in ramification but branches often long and with few leaves. Leaves spathulate, indistinctly petiolate, tomentose, tomentum variable, often glabrescent on upper surface, sometimes rather densely sericeous-tomentose on both surfaces; leaves crowded below the glomerules. Capitula c. 12-25 in dense nearly hemisphaerical glomerules surrounded by 7-15 stellately arranged leaves, as long as or longer than the capitula. Involucre 4-5.5 mm long, ± terete; phyllaries c. 4-seriate, membranous, mucronate to acute, sparsely hairy, the innermost glabrous and obtuse. Female florets in the axils of the outer phyllaries, lacking in the penultimate series, in the center few (2-5) bisexual and many (8-30) female florets. Cypselas 0.8-1 mm long, in the central florets; pappus setae 2.5 mm long.

Iran, C. Asia, Afghanistan, W. Pakistan, Himalaya (Kashmir to Nepal).

Distribution: Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and C. Asia.

1200 m

Fl.Per.: March-October.

Grows from plains to 3500 m, among rocks, amongst stones, dry water courses and boulder fields.