Hydrogen deficient donors in low-mass X-ray binaries

A number of X-ray binaries (neutron stars or black holes accreting from a companion star) have such short orbital periods that ordinary, hydrogen rich, stars do not fit in. Instead the mass-losing star must be a compact, evolved star, leading to the transfer of hydrogen deficient material to the neutron star. I discuss the current knowledge of these objects, with focus on optical spectroscopy.