Shrubs 1.5-2 m tall, much branched, spreading. Old branches light gray, rough; herbaceous branchlets of current year light green, smooth, jointed; joints 1-3 cm. Leaves scale-like, 1-2 mm, united with ocrea. Pedicel 5-8 mm, jointed below middle. Flowers small, 2 or 3 at leaf axils. Tepals reflexed in fruit. Fruit dark brown, subglobose, 1.4-2 cm in diam. Achenes ellipsoid, ca. 10 × 5 cm, coiled, ribbed with wings; wings narrow, 1-2 mm wide, somewhat stiff, margin of wings gradually splitting into bristles; bristles 4-6 mm, ca. as long as or longer than width of achenes, slightly stiff, forked at middle or above. Fl. May-Jun, fr. Jun-Jul.
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