Achillea arabica Kotschy

Reported from Afghanistan especially from the border area of Pakistan – Kurram Valley – Hariab Dist. It is likely to occur in Pakistan also.

Upright, up to 1 m tall, mostly unbranched herb with longitudinally striped, terete, ± densely patent hairy stem. Leaves lax to ± dense hairy, cauline akin to basal (± homomorphic), 2.5 – 12 x 0.5 – 2.5 (-3.5) cm, rachis entire, 0.5 – 1 mm wide, primary lobes numerous, ultimate segments setaceous to linear-lanceolate, 1 – 4 x 0.2 – 1 mm, acute to acuminate. Capitula numerous (30 – 200 or more), on laxly patent hairy, short peduncles, in 2 – 10 cm broad corymbs. Involucre oblong to broadly ovoid, 3 – 4 x 2 – 3 mm, basally attenuate; phyllaries pale, hairy outside, ovate-triangular to oblong, outer ± acute, inner with scarious obtuse apices. Palae lanceolate, membranous, subacute to obtuse, apically glabrous to hairy and ± lacerate. Ray-florets 4 – 5, with golden yellow, 1 – 2 mm long ligules. Disc florets 10 – 30, with 2.5 – 3 mm long corolla. Cypselas c. 1 mm long.

Distribution: East Europe, East Turkey, Caucasus, Central Asia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Palestine and Saudi Arabia.

Fl. Per.: June-August.

Achillea micrantha Willd., Sp. Pl. 3: 2209. 1831, non Willd., Tract. de Achilleis 33. 1789; DC., Prodr. 6: 29. 1838; Boiss., Fl. Or. 3: 264. 1875.