Nitraria tangutorum
Bobrov.
Desert cherry
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(c) 豳风, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by 豳风
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) zdk0812, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Description
A shrub. It tends to lie along the ground and be spreading. It grows 1-2 m tall. Young branches are white and the branches tend to arch over. They are spiny at the tip. The leaves are in groups of 2 or 3. The leaves are broadly sword shaped and 1.8-3 cm long by 6-8 mm wide. The base is wedge shaped. The flowers are dark red.
Edible Uses
The fruit is eaten.
Distribution
It is a temperate plant. It tends to grow in sandy area around lakes. It occurs in semi-desert sandy areas around lakes. It occurs between 1,900-3,500 m above sea level.
Where It Grows
Asia, Central Asia, China,
References (1)
- Zhang, Y. et al, 2020, Characteristics and utilization of plant diversity and resources in Central Asia. Regional Sustainability. Elsevier. p 6
