Krascheninnikovia ceratoides (L.) Gueldenst.
Axyris ceratoides L., Eurotia ceratoides (L.) C.A. Mey.
Eng.: Pamirian winterfat. Spa.: Alarba.
Subshrub up to 1 m, monoecious, with irregular pubescence of stellate hairs. Leaves alternate 10-25(30) × 3-7 mm, flat, oblong-linear to linear-lanceolate, shortly petiolate, acute or subacute and coriaceous. Flowers densely tomentose, unisexual. Male flowers arranged in dense spikes, without bracts, with 4 tepals and 4 stamens. Female flowers arranged in axillary glomeruli, without perianth, with 2 stigmas and 2 bracteoles with stellate hairs, accrescent, up to 4 mm, acute and coriaceous. Fruit an achene, sericeous, with a membranous pericarp.
Flowering:
August to November.
Fruiting:
No data for this region
Habitat:
Thickets in arid areas in gypsum marls and calcareous soils.
Distribution:
From southern Europe to Asia across the steppes, reaching the North Africa in a few dotted populations in Morocco, where it is very rare and threatened (between Itzer and Enjil) and in Egypt, where it is also very localised (Jebel Galala, in the continent, and Jebel Igma, in the Sinai).
Conservation status:
It is rare but in principle it is not considered threatened. Currently, it has not been assessed at a global level in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. In the Red List of vascular plants of Egypt (Flora Aegyptiaca Vol 1, 2000) it is listed as “Vulnerable”.