Sweet big cistanche, Fleshy cistanche
Cistanche salsa
Family: Orobanchaceae
What it is like
A parasite. It grows on Chenopodiaceae. It grows on the roots of shrubs and grasses. It is a stout, rough plant 10-30 cm high. The stems are fleshy and cylinder shaped. They are yellow and do not branch. They are 5-20 mm across. They are covered with bracts. The flowers are yellowish-purple. They are in crowded spikes 5-20 cm long at the top of the plant. The fruit is an oval capsule. There are many small seeds.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It grows in the deserts of north-western China. It can grow in arid places. In north China it grows on slopes between 700-2,700 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Central Asia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
How it is used for food
Slices of the dried fleshy stems are cooked with meat and vegetables.
Edible parts
Stem