散(san)生于半(ban)荒漠和荒漠帶的山地(di),田野或(huo)溝谷,低山、平原(yuan)或(huo)盆地(di)沙漠邊緣地(di)帶。
分(fen)布于中國新疆,青海(hai),甘肅、寧(ning)夏、內(nei)蒙(meng)古,在國外,原蘇聯、伊朗也有。
一年(nian)生(sheng)(sheng)草本(ben),高10—30cm。莖由基(ji)(ji)部(bu)分枝,無(wu)毛。基(ji)(ji)生(sheng)(sheng)葉(xie)矩圓(yuan)狀(zhuang)(zhuang)倒(dao)卵形(xing)(xing)或矩圓(yuan)形(xing)(xing),長(chang)4–7cm,寬(kuan)1–1.5cm,先端鈍,基(ji)(ji)部(bu)漸狹,邊(bian)緣(yuan)(yuan)具波狀(zhuang)(zhuang)齒,葉(xie)柄扁平,長(chang)5–20mm,基(ji)(ji)生(sheng)(sheng)葉(xie)無(wu)柄,披針形(xing)(xing),先端漸尖,基(ji)(ji)部(bu)箭形(xing)(xing),半抱莖,邊(bian)緣(yuan)(yuan)疏具細齒或全(quan)緣(yuan)(yuan)。疏生(sheng)(sheng)少(shao)數花,花白(bai)色(se)帶(dai)淡紫色(se)脈(mo)紋(wen)。短(duan)角(jiao)果,棒狀(zhuang)(zhuang),長(chang)6–10mm,四棱(leng)形(xing)(xing),表面(mian)有網紋(wen),喙三(san)角(jiao)形(xing)(xing),果梗下(xia)彎,種子圓(yuan)柱形(xing)(xing),褐色(se)。
四(si)(si)棱(leng)(leng)芥是(shi)春(chun)雨型的短(duan)(duan)命植(zhi)物。四(si)(si)棱(leng)(leng)芥常混生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)在以(yi)(yi)琵琶柴(Reaumuriasoongorica),博樂蒿(hao)(Artemisiaborotalensis),短(duan)(duan)葉(xie)假木賊(Anabasisbrevifolia)和小蓬(Nanophytonerinaceum)等組成不同的低山和平原(yuan)荒(huang)漠(mo)(mo)草地中(zhong).在早(zao)(zao)春(chun)可同其(qi)他早(zao)(zao)春(chun)植(zhi)物組成短(duan)(duan)命、類短(duan)(duan)命植(zhi)物層(ceng)片(pian)。在新疆北部四(si)(si)棱(leng)(leng)芥主要(yao)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)于(yu)山前洪積(ji)(ji),沖積(ji)(ji)傾斜(xie)平原(yuan),山地,低山丘(qiu)陵,以(yi)(yi)及準噶爾盆地沙漠(mo)(mo)邊緣(yuan)地區。喜(xi)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)于(yu)荒(huang)漠(mo)(mo)干燥(zao)氣(qi)候,但對(dui)土(tu)(tu)壤(rang)水(shui)(shui)(shui)分(fen)要(yao)求(qiu)嚴(yan)格(ge),水(shui)(shui)(shui)分(fen)較(jiao)好的年份(fen),早(zao)(zao)春(chun)降水(shui)(shui)(shui)充沛,四(si)(si)棱(leng)(leng)芥在草群中(zhong)參與(yu)度較(jiao)大。對(dui)土(tu)(tu)壤(rang)要(yao)求(qiu)不嚴(yan),喜(xi)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)于(yu)荒(huang)漠(mo)(mo)灰鈣土(tu)(tu)上(shang)。有(you)一定礫石質(zhi),也同樣具(ju)有(you)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)長快、生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)育期(qi)短(duan)(duan)的早(zao)(zao)春(chun)植(zhi)物的特點。在新疆北部通常3月(yue)(yue)下旬到4月(yue)(yue)上(shang)旬萌發,5月(yue)(yue)開花(hua),6月(yue)(yue)結實并枯死。
四棱芥(jie)在(zai)營養期適(shi)(shi)口(kou)性較(jiao)好,各種牲畜均采(cai)食(shi),山羊(yang),綿羊(yang)樂(le)食(shi),馬、牛采(cai)食(shi),開花以(yi)后植(zhi)(zhi)株粗老,適(shi)(shi)口(kou)性大(da)(da)大(da)(da)下降,牲畜不愿采(cai)食(shi),僅(jin)羊(yang)少(shao)量采(cai)食(shi),枯(ku)黃后植(zhi)(zhi)株保留程度較(jiao)差(cha),葉(xie)片易脫落,失去(qu)飼(si)用價值。四棱芥(jie)屬早春植(zhi)(zhi)物,萌發早,生(sheng)長速度快,早春可提供(gong)青綠飼(si)草,對恢復牧畜的春乏,母畜產羔催乳均有特殊的飼(si)用意(yi)義。四棱芥(jie)營養物含量較(jiao)高。它蛋白質(zhi)含量較(jiao)高,礦質(zhi)中(zhong)富鈣而少(shao)磷。