Climacoptera subcrassa (Popov ex Iljin) Botschantzev.

Herbs annual, 15-40 cm tall. Stem branched from base; lower branches elongate, stout, sparsely pilose below, pubescent or subglabrous above. Leaves yellow-green, semiterete, 1-2 cm × 1.5-2.5 mm, glabrous, margin membranous at base, decurrent, apex obtuse; lower leaves sometimes sparsely villous. Inflorescence spikelike; flowers solitary; bracts ovate, longer than bractlets; bractlets ovate, shorter than perianth, margin membranous. Perianth (including wings) 10-15 mm in diam. in fruit; segments lanceolate, membranous, abaxially winged from middle in fruit, glabrous; portion of segment above wing reflexed, with others appearing starlike, apex membranous; wings obovate. Anther appendage shortly stalked, white, shorter than anther. Stigmas subulate-filiform, 3-4 × as long as style. Seed horizontal. Fl. Aug-Sep, fr. Sep-Oct.

Gobi desert, saline lake shores. N Xinjiang [C Asia].