English: Desert hyacinth.
Chinese: pinyin ròucongróng; Suosuo dayun
Region: India, China, Taklamakan desert.
Content: phenylethanoid glycosides, e.g. echinacoside, acteoside, isoacteoside.
Uses: medicines and foods in China; scalp and hair treatment; Type I and Type II diabetes mellitus.
Botany: holoparasitic desert plant, lacks chlorophyll, roots parasitizes.