柳叶沙棘 liu ye sha ji

Elaeagnus salicifolia (D. Don) A. Nelson; Hippophae rhamnoides Linnaeus subsp. salicifolia (D. Don) Servettaz.

Shrubs or trees, 2-3(-10) m tall. Trunk to more than 30 cm in diam. Petiole 2-3 mm; leaf blade abaxially whitish with usually reddish brown midrib, adaxially ± green, linear-oblong, 4.2-6.2 × 0.6-1.2 cm, abaxially tomentose, adaxially stellate-hairy, margin usually revolute. Male flowers 2.5-3(-4) mm; anthers 2-2.5 mm. Female calyx ca. 2 mm. Peduncle 1-4 mm. Fruit orange-yellow to greenish brown or yellow to deep red, globose, terete, 5-7 × 5-7 mm. Endocarp easy to separate from seed. Seed broadly ellipsoid to ovoid, ± flattened, 2.8-5.2 mm. Fl. Jun, fr. Oct.

Moist gravel or stony areas, often beside rivers or streams; 2800-3500 m. S Xizang [Bhutan, N India, Nepal].

The leaves of Hippophae salicifolia are used to make tea; the fruit is used for polishing gold and silver.