Hippophae rhamnoides var. procera Rehder; H. salicifolia D. Don subsp. sinensis (Rousi) Hyvönen.

Shrubs or trees, 1-15(-18) m tall. Trunk to 30 cm in diam.; bark brownish; branches nearly black, rough; lateral spines relatively few, stout. Leaves mostly opposite or subopposite; leaf blade abaxially usually silvery, adaxially green, narrowly lanceolate, 3-6 cm × 6-10 mm, rust-colored hairs absent. Peduncle 1-2 mm. Fruit yellow or deep red, 4-6 × 4-6 mm. Seed somewhat flattened, 2.8-4 mm.

● Open sunny habitats on river banks, dry river beds, forest margins or thickets on mountain slopes; 800-3600 m. Gansu, Hebei, Nei Mongol, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shanxi, W Sichuan.