Phagnalon schweinfurthii Sch. Bip. ex Schweinf.

Gebel Elba.

Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia.

Rocky ground 1,000-1,500 m.

Perennial.

Woody perennials, up to 30 cm high with dense cottony wool. Leaves 6-60 x 1-5 mm, linear oblong, to oblanceolate, attenuate at the base, often semiamplexicaul, entire, subentire, undulate or very remotely denticulate with flat or revolute margins, densely white tomentose below, ± subglarbous above. Peduncles densely to sparsely white tomentose bearing a single capitulum. Capitula 8-18 mm in diameter, multiflorous; phyllaries densely floccose to lanate at the back, rarely subglabrous, outer ones ovate to lanceolate 2-2.5 x 1-1.5 mm with membranous silvery white, ± transparent margins and with 2 purple streaks running from the apex to the base, obtuse to acuminate, middle phyllaries lanceolate to ± spathulate, 5-6 x 1-2 mm, long acuminate to obtuse, ± purplish in the centre and at the apex, inner ones 7-8 mm long, acuminate membranous silvery white with purplish or brownish tips. Bisexual florets 20-50, dull yellow, c. 8 mm long. Corolla tube sparsely hairy, lobes recurved. Stamens exserted. Anthers completely tailless. Cypselas c. 1 mm long; pappus setae 5-7, very remotely but dstinctly barbellate.

Distribution: USSR (Turkmenistan), Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and Arabia.

Fl.Per.: April-August.

Grows between 600-1800 m in rock crevices.