Shrubs or small trees, up to 3 m tall; young branches longitudinally ribbed, pubescent. Petiole slender, 6-8 mm; leaf blade lanceolate, oblanceolate, elliptic-lanceolate, oblong-lanceolate, or narrowly lanceolate, rarely elliptic or elliptic-oblong, (3-)5-8(-11) × (0.7-)1.3-1.8(-3) cm, deep green adaxially, puberulent along midrib, base attenuate, apex acuminate or acute; midrib impressed or plane adaxially, elevated abaxially, lateral veins pinnate, obscure on both surfaces. Inflorescences racemes, ca. 1 cm; rachis puberulent; bracts ovate or ovate-lanceolate, apex subulate-apiculate, puberulent abaxially. Male flowers 5-8, inserted in apical part of rachis, shortly pedicellate or sessile, ebracteolate or 2 bracteoles on basal flowers; tepals 4, inner tepals broadly elliptic or suborbicular, 3-3.5 mm, outer tepals shorter, puberulent abaxially. Female flowers 1 or 2, inserted on base of rachis, flower and pedicel 6-7 mm; bracteoles several, ovate, imbricate; tepals similar to bracteoles, ca. 2 mm. Fruit globose, capsule black or blue-black; persistent styles 2 or 3, ca. 2 mm, erect, apices recurved.

Forests; 1000-3500 m. Chongqing, W Hubei, S Shaanxi, Sichuan, E Xizang, Yunnan [Afghanistan, Bhutan, NE India, Nepal].