Shrubs or small trees, 1.5-4(-6) m tall. Young branches reddish or brown-gray, densely hispid throughout. Leaves of growing branches grayish yellow, ovate-lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate, abaxially raised, base broad and obtuse, auriculate, semiamplexicaul, apex acuminate; those of vegetative branches broadly cordate-ovate to broadly ovate-lanceolate, 0.8-2.2 × 0.5-0.7 mm, densely puberulous, abaxially raised, base auriculate, semiamplexicaul, apex acuminate, mucronate, incurved. Racemes 2-7(-17) cm × 3-5 mm, terminal on branches of current year in summer and autumn, clustered into terminal, large, dense panicles; bracts narrowly triangular-lanceolate or, narrowly lanceolate, 1-1.5 mm, subequaling or sometimes slightly exceeding calyx, abaxially raised at base, margin entire, apex acuminate. Pedicels 0.5-0.7 mm, shorter than or nearly as long as calyx. Flowers 5-merous. Calyx 5-fid, ca. 1/3 as long as petals; sepals ovate-orbicular, 0.7-1 × ca. 0.5 mm, margin membranous, nearly pellucid, denticulate, apex slightly obtuse or acutish; outer 2 faintly carinate abaxially, apex acute. Petals 5, spreading, reflexed in upper part, purple-red or red, usually obovate to oblong-elliptic, 1.5-2 × 0.6-1 mm, caducous. Disk 5-lobed. Stamens 5, opposite to sepals, exserted, inserted at apex of disk lobes; filaments thickened at base, with nectary; anthers cordate, apex obtuse, often apiculate. Ovary narrowly bottle-shaped; styles 3, ca. 1/3 as long as ovary; stigmas very short. Capsule red to purple, conic, 4-5(-7) × ca. 1 mm, 4-5 × as long as calyx, ca. 15-seeded. Fl. Jul-Sep. 2n = 24*.

Riversides, lake basins, salty meadows and sand dunes in desert regions. Gansu, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Qinghai, Xinjiang [Afghanistan, Mongolia; C and SW Asia].