珍珠猪毛菜 zhen zhu zhu mao cai

Salsola gemmascens Pallas subsp. passerina (Bunge) Botschantzev.

Subshrubs 15-30 cm tall, densely covered with T-shaped hairs. Stem branched from base; woody branches spreading, gray-brown; annual branches yellow-green, with globose, dwarf branches. Leaves subulate or triangular, 2-3 × ca. 2 mm, abaxially slightly keeled, usually early deciduous, base expanded, apex acute. Inflorescence spikelike; bracts ovate; bractlets broadly ovate, margin membranous, apex acute. Perianth (including wings) 7-8 mm in diam. in fruit; segments narrowly ovate, abaxially slightly fleshy and winged from middle in fruit, margin membranous; portion of segment below wing glabrous; portion above wing connivent with others and forming a cone, T-shaped hairy; 3 wings yellow-brown or light purple-red, reniform; 2 other wings obovate, smaller. Anthers free from base to near apex, oblong; anther appendage lanceolate, apex acute. Stigmas filiform. Seed horizontal or vertical. Fl. Jul-Sep, fr. Aug-Sep.

Slopes, rocky alluvial fans. W Gansu, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Qinghai [Mongolia].