Shrubs 0.8-1.5 m tall, laxly branched, spreading; young plants subglobose; old plants pyramidal. Leaves linear, 2-4 mm, slightly curved; ocrea united with leaf. Pedicel 3-6 mm, jointed below middle. Flowers 1-3, at leaf axil. Tepals reflexed in fruit, light red, elliptic. Fruit broadly ovoid or ovoid, 1-1.5 × 1-2 cm. Achenes ovoid or oblong, with one 2-4 mm beak, very coiled; ribs not prominent, with 2 rows of bristles on each; bristles 5-7 in each row, very free, slender, soft, secondarily 2- or 3-forked; apical branches straight; bundled at apices of achenes. Fl. Apr-May, fr. May-Jul. 2n = 18*.

Semimobile sand dunes, sandy deserts; 500-600 m. Xinjiang [Mongolia].