Plants 15-50 cm tall. Stem erect, much branched; lower branches ascending. Leaves linear, 2-6 cm × 1-3 mm, 1-veined, base attenuate, apex acuminate, mucronate. Spikelike inflorescence elongate, narrowly linear, loose and interrupted, at maturity often reflexed, 5-15 × 0.5 cm; bracts linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, 0.5-3 cm × 2-3 mm, 1-veined, base broadly cuneate, margin membranous, apex acuminate. Perianth segments 1(or 3), upper one broadly elliptic, apex entire or erose. Stamens 1(or 3); filaments ca. 1/2 as long as perianth segments. Utricle obovate-oblong, 3-4 × ca. 2 mm, glabrous, base broadly cuneate, apex triangular to rostrate, acute; body narrowly obovate to elongate, smooth or tuberculate; wing absent or obscure, margin entire; beak ca. 0.5 mm, apex erect, ca. 1/3 as long as beak. Fl. and fr. Jun-Sep.

The authorship of Corispermum declinatum has been constantly erroneously cited as “Stephan ex Steven.” However, Steven (Mém. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 5: 334. 1817) never accepted C. declinatum as a species, but cited it as a synonym of C. hyssopifolium Linnaeus var. “a.” The first valid publication of the name was by Iljin in 1928.

Sandy wastelands, riversides, field margins, roadsides. Gansu, Hebei, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Xinjiang [Mongolia, Russia (S Siberia); NC Asia; locally naturalized in E Europe].