Subshrubs. Annual branches diffuse, ascending, or erect, 10-50 cm × 4-10 mm, densely lanate, tomentose, and villous. Leaves semiterete, 3-10 mm, densely hairy, with fascicles on axillary dwarf branches. Inflorescences dense spikes on upper part of branches, 4-10 mm in diam.; bracts slightly reflexed, lanceolate or narrowly so, shorter than or equaling perianth, abaxially long hairy, apex obtuse. Flowers solitary, bisexual. Perianth cylindric, compressed, 3-3.5 mm, hairy; segments 4, slightly recurved, unequal, lateral ones subequaling to ca. 1.5 × as long as middle ones. Stamens 4, exserted; filaments filiform; anthers oblong. Ovary ovoid; style terete; stigmas 2, exserted, filiform. Utricle compressed, elliptic, 1-2 mm; pericarp membranous, not adnate to seed. Seed black-brown, of same shape and size as utricle. Fl. and fr. Jul-Sep.

Gobi desert, deserts, arid slopes, dunes, wastelands. Xinjiang [Mongolia, Russia (SW Siberia); C and SW Asia, SE Europe].