Shrubs ca. 2 m tall. Bark grayish black. Branchlets glabrous. Petiole ca. 3 mm; leaf blade oblong-elliptic to oblong-ovate, 2.5-7.5 × 1-2.3 cm, leathery, glabrous except abaxially puberulent on midvein, midvein adaxially flat, secondary veins 10-15 on each side of midvein and slightly elevated on both surfaces, base attenuate to broadly cuneate, apex acuminate. Inflorescences axillary, 1- or 2-flowered. Flowers ca. 3 mm in diam. Pedicel 2-5 mm, bracteolate at base or to near middle. Sepals triangular, outside puberulent, inside glabrous. Petals greenish yellow; outer petals ovate-triangular, 2.5-3 × 1.5-2 mm, outside pubescent, inside glabrous; inner petals ± as long as outer petals. Stamens ca. 12, ovoid; connectives apically acute. Carpels 3, densely villous; ovules 3 per carpel; stigmas capitate. Fruit not seen. Fl. Apr, fr. May-Jul.

Orophea yunnanensis is listed as Critically Endangered (CR B1ab(i,ii,v)) by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Version 2010.3; http://www.iucnredlist.org; accessed on 6 Oct 2010).

● Forested slopes; ca. 600 m. Yunnan (Jiangchuan).