疏花驼舌草 shu hua tuo she cao

Statice callicoma C. A. Meyer, Mem. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Petersbourg, Ser. 6, Sci. Math., Second Pt. Sci. Nat. 4: 212. 1841; Limonium callicomum (C. A. Meyer) Kuntze; S. argentea Pallas ex Sievers.

Herbs 10--40(--50) cm tall. Petiole margin green; leaf blade usually lanceolate to oblanceolate, (2--)4--10 X 0.5--1(--1.8) cm including petiole, thin, base attenuate, apex acuminate. Inflorescences paniculate or subcymose, rachis 2 or 3 X branched; branches and branchlets 2- or 3-angular; spikes loosely arranged, each with (3--)5--7 loosely arranged spikelets, ± distinct from each other; spikelets (1- or)2- or 3-flowered; bracts broadly ovate, 3--5 mm, apex cuspidate; first bractlet similar to bract but slightly wider and with apex 2- or 3-cuspidate. Calyx 6.5--7.5 mm, tube ca. 1 mm in diam.; lobes entire, apex shortly acuminate, veins dark purple and never reaching middle of limb. Corolla light purple. Fl. Jun-Jul, fr. Jul-Aug.

Dry sandy and rocky flats; 400--500 m. NW Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia].