Shrubs deciduous, spreading, to 2 m tall. Branchlets slightly inflexed, grayish black, terete, stout, initially strigose, gradually glabrescent. Petiole (1.5–)3–6 mm, pilose; stipules caducous, brown, lanceolate, 3–5 mm, pilose; leaf blade oblong-ovate to elliptic or lanceolate-oblong, 3.5–7(–15) × 2–4(–8) cm, veins prominently raised abaxially, abaxially pilose, more densely so along veins, sometimes subglabrous, adaxially glabrous or pilose, conspicuously rugose and bullate, base cuneate or rounded, apex acuminate, rarely acute. Corymbs 2.5–5 cm in diam., 5–13(–31)-flowered; rachis and pedicels pilose; bracts lanceolate, 2–3 mm, pilose. Pedicel 1–3 mm. Flowers 7–8 mm in diam. Hypanthium campanulate, abaxially initially pilose, glabrate. Sepals triangular, 1–1.5 × 1.5–2.5 mm, apex acute. Petals erect, pinkish, obovate, 4–4.5 mm and nearly as broad, base shortly clawed, apex obtuse. Stamens 20–22, shorter than petals. Ovary pubescent apically; styles 4 or 5, free, very short. Fruit red, globose or obovoid, 6–8 × 6–8 mm, pyrenes 4 or 5. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Aug–Sep.

Slopes, sparse forests, thickets, river banks, mountain forests and valleys; 900--3200 m. Hubei, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan.