Herbs, sometimes suffruticose, to 1(-2) m tall; branches densely puberulent, papillose, or tomentulose. Petiole 0.8-3 cm, densely puberulent to tomentulose; leaf blade drying papery and grayish green, obovate, elliptic-oblong, or elliptic, 12-28 × 4-11 cm, adaxially glabrous, abaxially densely puberulent, base acute to cuneate, apex acute or rounded then abruptly acuminate; secondary veins 9-18 pairs; stipules ovate to oblong, 12-25 mm, densely puberulent, densely striate veined, acute or shortly 2-lobed. Inflorescences terminal and/or usually pseudoaxillary, subsessile, congested-cymose to subcapitate to shortly racemiform, subglobose to ovoid, 1-3 cm; bracts ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 10-25 mm, densely puberulent, densely longitudinally veined, acute to acuminate. Flowers subsessile or with pedicels to 3 mm. Calyx densely puberulent; hypanthium portion subglobose to ovoid, ca. 2 mm; limb divided to base; lobes linear-subulate, 6-14 mm. Corolla yellow, tubular; tube 7.5-8 mm; lobes 2.5-3 mm. Berries subglobose, 3-4 mm in diam. Fl. Jun-Aug, fr. Oct-Dec.

H. S. Lo (in FRPS 71(1): 312. 1999) recognized two forms of this species: "f. tonkinensis" [sic!] and "f. longipes Lo." However, Lo failed to provide the latter name with a Latin description or diagnosis (Vienna Code, Art. 36.1) and an indication of a type (Art. 37.1); therefore, neither name was validly published.

Dense forests; below 100-1700 m. Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Yunnan [N Vietnam].