霸王 ba wang

Sarcozygium xanthoxylum Bunge, Linnaea 17: 7. 1843; Zygophyllum ferganense (Drobow) Borissova.

Shrubs, 50-100 cm tall. Branches arching, zigzag, spreading spiny-pointed; bark bright gray; xylem yellow. Leaves on old branches fascicled and on current year branchlets opposite, with 2 leaflets; petiole 0.8-2.5 cm; leaflet blades long spatulate, linear-oblong, or linear, 8-24 × 2-5 mm, apex obtuse. Flowers axillary on old branches. Sepals 4, green, obovate, 4-7 mm. Petals 4, light yellow, obovate to nearly rotund, 8-11 mm. Stamens 8, longer than petals. Capsule nearly spherical, 1.8-4 cm, 3-valved, wings 5-9 mm wide. Seeds 6-7 × ca. 2.5 mm. Fl. Mar, fr. Jul-Sep. 2n = 22.

Sandy gravel terraces, hilly slopes, gravel dunes, pediments in desert and semidesert areas; 1600-2600 m. W Gansu, Hebei, W Nei Mongol, W Ningxia, Qinghai, Xinjiang [Mongolia].