Caudex erect, long; persistent old flowering stems present. Flowering stems erect, pale red when dry, 15-20 cm, or 10-15 cm in female plants. Stem leaves alternate; leaf blade lanceolate to oblanceolate or oblong, 8-15 × ca. 2 mm, sparsely papillate, margin entire or usually apically few dentate, apex acute, finely papillate in female plants. Inflorescences cymose, 1.5-2 × 1.5-2 cm, slightly smaller in female plants. Flowers shortly pedicellate, bisexual or female (plants hermaphroditic or gynodioecious), unequally 5-merous, female ones 4-merous. Sepals reddish when dry, triangular-lanceolate, 2.4-3.5 mm, apex obtuse. Petals reddish when dry, oblong, 5-6 mm, apex obtuse, or slightly narrowed and shortly apiculate in female flowers. Stamens 10, to 7 mm; antepetalous ones inserted ca. 1 mm from petal base. Nectar scales subtransversely rectangular, or square in female flowers, apex ± emarginate. Carpels erect, suboblong, 5.6-6 mm. Follicles many seeded. Seeds subovoid, winged at both ends. Fl. Jul, fr. Aug.

* Rhododendron forests, rocky slopes; 3400-4800 m. NW Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan.