Description from
Flora of China
Elaeagnus fargesii Lecomte.
Shrubs, evergreen, climbing. Spines sometimes present, stout; young branches with overlapping dull silvery gray and pale brown scales. Petiole 8-10 mm, indumentum as for stem; leaf blade abaxially slightly brownish on midrib, adaxially brownish green when dried, broadly lanceolate to ovate, 6-15 × 3-6 cm, leathery, abaxially with overlapping silvery scales, adaxially densely scaly when young but soon glabrous, lateral veins 5-7 per side of midrib, raised abaxially, inconspicuous adaxially, base broadly cuneate to rounded, margin revolute, apex acuminate. Flowers mostly 1 per axil, sometimes clustered on reduced axillary shoots. Pedicel ca. 2 mm, reddish brown scaly. Calyx tube obconic-tubular, ± 4-angular, 6-8 × 2-3 mm, abruptly widening below lobes, outside with dense silvery white scales and scattered brown scales; lobes triangular, inside sparsely pale brown scaly, apex acuminate. Drupe 5-8 mm. Fl. Oct-Nov, fr. Apr.
● Valley forests; 500-1800(-2700) m. Guangdong, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Yunnan.