分布甘肅(蘭州、安西、酒泉(quan)、金塔)、新疆(jiang)(若羌、烏恰、葉城、于田、疏附、阿克(ke)蘇、吐魯番、輪(lun)臺(tai)、托克(ke)遜(xun)、尉(wei)犁)。
多(duo)年(nian)生草本,高15-40(50)厘(li)米(mi)(mi)。根(gen)頸不被纖維(wei)狀(zhuang)葉(xie)鞘(qiao)殘遺物,自根(gen)莖(jing)(jing)發出多(duo)數莖(jing)(jing)。莖(jing)(jing)自下部(bu)(bu)(bu)起多(duo)級等(deng)二叉狀(zhuang)分(fen)枝,形(xing)(xing)成球狀(zhuang),全(quan)部(bu)(bu)(bu)莖(jing)(jing)枝無(wu)(wu)毛(mao)(mao)(mao)。基生葉(xie)與(yu)下部(bu)(bu)(bu)莖(jing)(jing)葉(xie)少(shao)數,線形(xing)(xing),革質,無(wu)(wu)柄,長(chang)(chang)0.5-4厘(li)米(mi)(mi),寬2-5毫(hao)(hao)米(mi)(mi),基部(bu)(bu)(bu)半抱莖(jing)(jing),頂(ding)端(duan)(duan)鈍(dun);中部(bu)(bu)(bu)莖(jing)(jing)與(yu)上(shang)部(bu)(bu)(bu)莖(jing)(jing)葉(xie)或有時基生葉(xie)退化成小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)三(san)角(jiao)形(xing)(xing)鱗(lin)片狀(zhuang)。頭狀(zhuang)花(hua)序極多(duo)數,單生于末級等(deng)二叉狀(zhuang)分(fen)枝末端(duan)(duan),花(hua)序梗粗(cu)短,含4-7枚舌狀(zhuang)小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)花(hua)。總苞圓(yuan)(yuan)柱狀(zhuang),長(chang)(chang)8-10毫(hao)(hao)米(mi)(mi);總苞片2-3層(ceng);外層(ceng)小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao),不等(deng)長(chang)(chang),長(chang)(chang)2-4毫(hao)(hao)米(mi)(mi),三(san)角(jiao)形(xing)(xing)或三(san)角(jiao)狀(zhuang)卵形(xing)(xing),內層(ceng)長(chang)(chang)橢圓(yuan)(yuan)形(xing)(xing)或長(chang)(chang)橢圓(yuan)(yuan)狀(zhuang)披針形(xing)(xing),長(chang)(chang)8-10毫(hao)(hao)米(mi)(mi);全(quan)部(bu)(bu)(bu)總苞片頂(ding)端(duan)(duan)急尖或鈍(dun),外面(mian)(mian)無(wu)(wu)毛(mao)(mao)(mao)。舌狀(zhuang)小(xiao)(xiao)(xiao)花(hua)黃色(se),花(hua)冠(guan)管外面(mian)(mian)無(wu)(wu)毛(mao)(mao)(mao)。瘦果(guo)圓(yuan)(yuan)柱狀(zhuang),淡(dan)黃色(se)至黃棕色(se),長(chang)(chang)約(yue)4毫(hao)(hao)米(mi)(mi),向(xiang)頂(ding)端(duan)(duan)增粗(cu),頂(ding)端(duan)(duan)圓(yuan)(yuan)形(xing)(xing),無(wu)(wu)喙(hui),向(xiang)下稍收窄,有15條(tiao)等(deng)粗(cu)的細縱肋。冠(guan)毛(mao)(mao)(mao)白色(se),5-10層(ceng),長(chang)(chang)7-8毫(hao)(hao)米(mi)(mi),單毛(mao)(mao)(mao)狀(zhuang),基部(bu)(bu)(bu)連合成環,整(zheng)體脫落。花(hua)果(guo)期5-9月。
生(sheng)于沙(sha)地、沙(sha)地邊緣、沙(sha)丘(qiu)間(jian)低地、戈壁(bi)沖溝及沙(sha)地田邊,海(hai)拔-42-1800米。
近年來(lai),在對塔(ta)里(li)木盆地(di)白(bai)(bai)(bai)粉(fen)菌物(wu)種多(duo)樣性(xing)進(jin)行調(diao)查時,發(fa)(fa)現該地(di)區分布(bu)的河西菊(ju)白(bai)(bai)(bai)粉(fen)病發(fa)(fa)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)嚴重(zhong),在植物(wu)葉面形(xing)成白(bai)(bai)(bai)色厚氈(zhan)狀粉(fen)層,導(dao)致(zhi)植株(zhu)發(fa)(fa)黃、枯萎,造成植株(zhu)大面積死亡。由(you)于該病害(hai)連年發(fa)(fa)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng),且呈大規模爆發(fa)(fa)趨勢(shi),已給(gei)河西菊(ju)的健康生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)長(chang)帶來(lai)了極大的威脅,更嚴重(zhong)影響荒漠植被(bei)保(bao)護和生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)態恢復進(jin)程。
河(he)西菊是(shi)一種旱(han)生鹽(yan)生植物,開黃色小花,葉退(tui)化,因枝條形(xing)態酷似鹿角(jiao)(jiao),又名(ming)鹿角(jiao)(jiao)草,具有(you)極高的(de)觀賞(shang)價(jia)值,是(shi)干旱(han)區城市綠(lv)化上乘的(de)地(di)(di)(di)被植物和盆(pen)(pen)景植物。又因其耐(nai)干旱(han)、耐(nai)鹽(yan)堿,而廣泛分布于新疆塔里木(mu)盆(pen)(pen)地(di)(di)(di)的(de)荒漠地(di)(di)(di)區,是(shi)重(zhong)要(yao)(yao)的(de)防風固沙植物,在沙漠邊(bian)緣地(di)(di)(di)帶具有(you)重(zhong)要(yao)(yao)的(de)生態價(jia)值。