An erect, suffrutescent, much branched, 30-50 cm tall undershrub. Stem and branches rough, ash grey, entangled, knotted at the nodes. Leaves 8-16 mm long, c. 2 mm wide, obtuse, entire, mucronate, glabrous; stipules small, mem¬branous, ovate-triangular with ciliate margins. Inflorescence short peduncled head-like biparous cyme of 5 -15 flowers; peduncle c. 5 mm long, densely villous. Flowers sessile, pentamerous, 5-7 mm long and c. 4-5 mm across, yellowish green, receptacle vase-shaped, 2.5-3 mm long; bracts 1.5-2 mm long, never scarious. Sepals 2-3 mm long, narrow oblong, margins whitish membranous, glabrous. Petals subulate-filiform, 1-1.5 mm long, acute, brownish white. Stamens subulate¬filiform, slightly longer than the petals, c. 2 mm long, anthers oblong, dorsifixed. Ovary ovoid, slightly fused at the base with receptacle, papillose, unilocular, 1-ovul¬ed, ovule pendulous, placentation basal; style long. Fruit 1-seeded membranous indehiscent utricle enclosed by persistent sepals. Seed somewhat oblong, com¬pressed, dark brown; radicle superior.

Fl. Per. February-April.

Type: Egypt: In desertis Kahirinis orient. Forsskal (holo. C, not seen; Iso. BM).

Distribution: West Pakistan (Baluchistan); Afghanistan; Iran; Arabia; Syria; Palestine; Egypt; Libya; Tunisia; Algeria; Morocco and Canary Islands.

Young branches are eaten by camel and goats.