Halimocnemis tomentosa Moq. in Hist. Mém. Acad. Sci. Toulouse 5: 180. 1839; Noaea tomentosa (Moq.) Moq. in DC., Prodr. 13,2: 208. 1849; S. aurantiaca Bunge in Boiss., Fl. Or. 4: 963. 1879; Mobayen, Fl. pl. vasc. Iran 2: 259. 1979; Kitamura, Fl. Afgh. 104. 1960; S. takhtadshanii Iljin in Fl. SSSR 6: 261. 1936; S. stellulata Korov. & Iljin in Fl. SSSR 6: 262, 877. 1936; S. tomentosa subsp. stellulata (Korov.)Botsch. in Bot. Zhurn. SSSR 53: 1447. 1968; S. flavovirens Iljin in Trudy Bot. Inst. Akad. Nauk. SSSR, Ser. 1, Fl. Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 7: 207. 1938; S. tomentosa subsp.bungeana Botsch., subsp. afghanica Botsch., subsp. kopetdaghensis Botsch., subsp. buhseana Botsch. in Bot. Zhurn. SSSR 53: 1447-1448; 1968; S. bungeana, S. afghanica, S. kopetdaghensis, S. lasiantha Botsch. in Novosti Syst. Vyssh. Rast. 17: 122. 1980; S. buhseana (Botsch.) Botsch. in Novosti Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 17: 126. 1980; S. badghysi, S. glabella, S. kurbanovii Botsch. in Bot. Zhurn. SSSR 75: 237-239. 1990.

Subshrub, 10-30 cm, ± densely hairy with 0.2-0.4 mm long spreading to ascending, flexuose, spinulose to shsortly branched, in young stage often with brownish hairs, in lower part to 1 mm long and interspersed with up to 5 mm long stiff spreading bristle-like hairs. Stem up to 15 mm thick, profusely branched at base, more rarely caudex-like; perennial woody branches ascending or prostrate, 2-10(15) cm high, at first brownish, later grey. Annual shoots numerous, erect, rigid, arising from gemma-like, often woolly, buds, branched in upper part 1-2x into ascending to spreading, short, usually loose spikes. Leaves in unbranched lower part 5-10 x 1-1.5 mm, semi-terete, in upper parts shorter, to 2 mm, densely hairy, linear to ± subulate, with obtuse apex and slightly sheathing base, the upper obtusely keeled at the sessile base. Bracts 1.5-2.5(4) x 1-1.5 mm, the lower shortly linear with widened base, the upper trullate, with hyaline margins, the lower slightly longer, the upper as long as or shorter than bracteoles. Bracteoles 2-3 x 1.5-2.5 mm, usually without blade, cucullate. Tepals narrow ovate, 2.2-3.0 mm long, the outer 1.2-1.3 mm wide, 2-3-veined or all 1-veined, apex obtuse or indistinctly lobed, brownish, transverse line at 1/3-2/5, above hairy, density, length and shape of hairs very variable, but in our population moderately dense, stiff, ascending, usually exceeding the apex. Anthers with appendage (1.5)1.7-2(2.3) mm long, divided up to the appendage; appendage free from thecae, constricted at base, 0.8-1.0 mm long, near base 0.2-0.3 mm wide, narrow triangular, acute, rough; filaments linear, 2.7-3.5 x 0.25 mm; disc rim-like, 0.1-0.15 mm wide, thin, with short papillose interstaminal lobes. Ovary subglobular; style 0.6-0.9 mm long; stigmas 0.7-1.2 mm long, flat to longitudinally furrowed, band shaped, apex crenulate. Fruiting perianth 7-10 mm diam., in young stage often pink or orange, later pale brown or dark grey; wings subequal, widely overlapping, flexuose; tepal lobes separated from the wings by a distinct cleft, than arched to the cap, the long tips forming a steep cone covered by persistent hairs; tepals below the wings forming a cup-like structure with narrow, flat base, moderately hardened. Utricle 1.5-2.2 mm diam., horizontal, more rarely oblique.

Fl. Per.: July-September.

Holotype: Perse [near Tehran] Poulidellak [Pul-e Dehlak], désert salé, C.P. Bélanger 595; (P-Moq.!), iso- (P!, G!).

Locally common on rocky and on scree-covered slopes, in addition on terraces along dry river beds in slightly to moderately saline soil; Distribution: From E Transcaucasia (Nakhichevan), Iran and S Turkmenistan to Afghanistan and the Pamir Alai, southwards to S Iran and Pakistan (Baluchistan and probably Waziristan).

Irano-Turanian, but absent from the Turanian parts.