Shrubs deciduous, to 5 m tall. Branchlets somewhat inflexed, grayish black, with conspicuous lenticels, terete, initially strigose, gradually glabrescent. Petiole 2–4(–8) mm, pubescent; stipules caducous; leaf blade elliptic-ovate or rhombic-ovate, 4–12 × 2–4.5 cm; veins prominently raised abaxially and impressed adaxially, abaxially pubescent along reticulate veins, adaxially slightly pilose, rugose, bullate, base broadly cuneate or subrounded, apex acuminate. Corymbs usually 9–25-flowered; rachis and pedicels pubescent; bracts lanceolate, sparsely pubescent. Pedicel 2–3 mm. Flowers 8–10 mm in diam. Hypanthium campanulate, abaxially pubescent. Sepals triangular, apex acute. Petals erect, pink, ovate or suborbicular, 3–4 × 2–3 mm, apex obtuse. Stamens ca. 20, shorter than petals. Ovary pubescent at apex; styles 4 or 5, free, not exceeding stamens. Fruit black, subglobose or obovoid, 6–8 mm in diam., pyrenes 4 or 5. Fl. Jun–Jul, fr. Sep–Oct. 2n = 68*.

Forest margins, coniferous forests, stream sides; 1300--3200 m. Gansu, Guizhou, Hubei, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan.