Belovia paradoxa Bunge, Beitr. Fl. Russl. 286. 1852.

Herbs annual, to 1 m tall. Stem erect, much or little branched, terete, slightly ribbed, glabrous, base to 7 mm in diam.; branches obliquely spreading. Leaves obliquely spreading, linear, straight or lower ones slightly curved, abaxially convex, adaxially plane, usually 1-3 cm × 1.5-2.5 mm, base attenuate into short petiole, apex acute. Glomerules inserted on petiole on upper branches, usually 3- or 4-flowered. Flowers bisexual. Perianth hemispheric or subcupular, about as long as wide, 5-parted; segments spreading at anthesis, oblong, unequal, keeled abaxially near apex, obscurely 3-veined, apex cucullate. Anthers exserted, oblong, ca. 0.6 mm. Stigmas 3 or 4, minute. Utricle enclosed in perianth; pericarp membranous, adnate to seed. Seed vertical, black, obliquely ovoid, slightly compressed, ca. 1.5 × 1.1 mm, granular pitted, rim margin obtuse; radicle inferior. Fl. and fr. Jul-Oct.

Moist saline-alkaline soils in mountain ravines, wastelands, beside water, roadsides. Qinghai (Qaidam Pendi), N Xinjiang [C Asia].