珊瑚补血草 shan hu bu xue cao

Statice coralloides Tausch, Syll. Pl. Nov. 2: 255. 1828; Limonium decipiens (Ledebour) Kuntze; S. aphylla Poiret; S. decipiens Ledebour.

Herbs, perennial, 25--50 cm tall. Caudex woody, many-headed. Leaves basal, usually withered by anthesis; petiole wide; leaf blade oblong-obovate to oblong-spatulate, 1--3.5 X 0.5--2 cm including petiole, base attenuate, apex usually rounded. Inflorescences often numerous, arising from different leaf rosettes, large, paniculate; rachis 5--7 X branched, with sterile basal branches; branchlets slender, short, numerous, densely verrucose; verrucae with apically clustered hairs when young, later glabrescent and foveolate; spikes arranged on apical or terminal part of branchlets, with 3--5(--7) spikelets loosely arranged; spikelets 1(or 2)-flowered; bracts broadly ovate to subrounded, ca. 1 mm, apical half or more membranous; first bractlet ca. 2 mm. Calyx obconical to almost narrowly funnelform, 2.5--3 mm; tube densely pubescent; limb white. Corolla pale blue-purple. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Aug-Sep.

Saline sandy soil, river banks; 500--1200 m. Xinjiang (Altay Shan) [Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia (Siberia)].