Nitraria pamirica L. I. Vasileva

Shrubs 12-25(-30) cm tall, prostrate. Branches spreading; old branches grayish white, bark split, glabrous; young branches polished, appressed puberulent, sterile ones spine-formed at apex. Stipules membranous, deciduous. Leaf blade bluish green, linear-spatulate, (0.5-)1-1.7(-2.5) cm × (1.5-)2-3.5(-5) mm, slightly fleshy, both surfaces appressed puberulent or only abaxially pubescent, margin entire, apex acute to obtuse. Inflorescences terminal, scorpioid cymes, 8-20-flowered; peduncle ca. 3.5 cm, pubescent. Pedicel pubescent. Sepals persistent, base connate, lobes widely triangulate, apex acute. Petals oblong-ovate, 3-4 × 1.5-2 mm, apex slightly emarginate. Fruit bright cherry red, blackish when dry, ovoid, 8-9 × 5-6 mm; mesocarp bright cherry red but later dark cherry red. Stone bright grayish yellow, oblongly conic, (5-)6.5-7.5(-8) × 2-3 mm, base rounded, sides with 6(or 7) ridges, reticulate or with irregular dots between ridges. Fr. Aug.

Xinjiang (upper part of Aksu He) [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan].

Hills, valleys, terraces, gravel soil, alkaline areas; 3800-4300 m.