Shrubs or small trees, 2.5–5 m high. Young branches and petioles densely villous and glandular-pubescent; buds ovoid-conical, pale green, born at apex of short shoots. Leaf blade with 10–12 lateral veins on each side. Inflorescence 3–8 cm long, densely 20–40-flowered; rachis with dense yellow silky hairs; basal bracts of inflorescences involucrelike at anthesis, usually 4, bright yellow, slightly patent, broadly elliptic or oblong, 2–2.8 × 1.2–1.5 cm, base attenuate, margin entire, apex slightly obtuse or acute, membranous, both surfaces and margin yellow sericeous, glabrescent; floral bracts yellow, oblong or ovate, obtuse or acute at apex, sometimes 3-lobed, the lower lobe 14–16 × 8–10 mm, sericeous on both sides, the upper lobes shorter and smaller; bracteoles lanceolate or linear, 4–6 × 1–1.5 mm, sericeous, apex acuminate. Floral cup densely sericeous. Sepals unequal in size, triangular or lanceolate, 0.5–1.5 mm; petals oblong-spatulate or ovate-spatulate, obviously unequal in size, 4–8 × 2.5–4.5 mm, margin entire or irregularly undulate, apex obtuse. Stamens 5, anthers yellow, ovoid, 0.5–0.8 mm long, filaments yellow-green, filiform, 1.8–2.2 mm long, inflated at base; disk scales 5, red, nearly 2-parted to base, lobes 10, 0.5–0.6 mm long, club-shaped, apex obtuse. Ovary ovoid, densely sericeous; style 1.5–2 mm long, stigmas green, 2-parted to near base, upper part divergent, slightly curved. Infructescences 8–9 cm, usually with 25–40 capsules. Fl. Jan–Mar, Fr. May–Sep.

The leaves and fruits of this species are imperfectly known.

Valleys, slopes, thickets, evergreen broad-leaved forests; 1300--2000 m. NW Yunnan (Gongshan Drungzu Nuzu Zizhixian).