A shrub up to 2 m tall. Shoots often modified into spines. Leaves 2-6 cm long, 3-6 mm broad, lanceolate-linear, obtuse, with peltate and stellate scales, especially on the lower surface. Male flowers in clusters at the base of the shoot, 2.5 mm long; tepals free, suborbicular, with peltate scales on the dorsal surface; stamens free, sessile, anthers about 1.2-1.5 mm long. Female flowers in clusters of 2-4, pedicellate; pedicel c. 2.5 mm long, slender; tepals 3-4 mm long, united, acute, stellately hairy within; ovary c. 2.5 mm long, ovoid, enclosed in the hypanthium and covered by a thin membrane, style linear, as long as or longer than the ovary, base stellately hairy. Utricle subglobose, 6-7 mm broad, succulent, orange coloured. Seed solitary, 4 mm long, unequally bilobed, light black, shiny.

Fl. Per.: April-May.

Type: “Plantae Kasakstanieae, gub. Dschetysu distr. Taldy-Kurgan, fr. 9. viii. 1928” N. Schipezinsky 1370 (S; iso-,LE).

Distribution: Tadzikistan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, W. China, Tibet and the N.W. Himalayas.

A small shrub or tree, variable in the size and the scaliness of the leaves. Found in the inner dry valleys of the Himalayas, especially along river sides and irrigation ditches from 1800-3600 m. The wood is used for fuel. The fruit though acidic, when boiled with sugar can be eaten.