Semi-shrub with a woody base about 20 cm (8 in) tall producing numerous annual branches to 50 cm (20 in) long. Woody portion with exfoliating brownish gray bark. Branches densely stellate-pubescent and villous-tomentose, grayish, becoming reddish with age, floriferous on upper third or more. Leaves alternate, linear to narrowly lanceolate, 1-4 cm (0.4-1.6 in) long and about 2 mm (0.1 in) wide, entire, with edges rolled, densely hairy. Primary leaves usually have secondary branchlets fascicled in their axils. Staminate flowers uppermost, few to many in short axillary clusters, calyx lobes 4 about 2 mm (0.1 in) long, stamens 4. Pistillate flowers 2-4 in the axils, each enclosed by two connate, hirsute bracteoles which become 4-6 mm (about 0.2 in) long, each with a hornlike tip.
Distribution: Native to the western Great Plains and Great Basin.
Habitat: Plains and foothills, usually in clay or chalky soil.
NWI status: none
Comment: Krascheninnikovia honors the Russian botanist S. P. Krascheninnikov; lanata refers to the dense covering of hairs on the leaves.
Distribution in Oklahoma: 
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Last update: 9/14/99
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