Shrubs 1-2 m tall. Branchlets pubescent, usually also sparsely stalked glandular, unarmed. Buds purplish brown, oblong-ovoid, 5-7 mm, pubescent, apex acute. Petiole 5-8 cm, sparsely pubescent and glandular hairy; leaf blade thin, 7-12 × 8-15 cm, glabrous or sparsely puberulent, base cordate; lobes 3-5, triangular to ovate-triangular, margin coarsely and sharply serrate, apex acute to shortly acuminate; terminal lobe equaling or slightly longer than lateral ones. Racemes erect or slightly pendent, 3-6 cm, 6-20-flowered; rachis and pedicels pubescent and sparsely stalked glandular; bracts ovate, 1-1.5 mm, puberulent. Flowers bisexual, 5-7 mm in diam.; pedicel 1.5-3 mm. Calyx dark purple, glabrous or puberulent; tube subcampanulate, 2.5-3.5 mm; lobes erect, spatulate to obovate-oblong, 2-3 mm, margin ciliate, dentate. Petals subflabellate to subspatulate, 1.5-2 mm. Stamens equaling or slightly longer than petals. Ovary glabrous. Style subequaling stamens, 2-lobed. Fruit red, globose, 0.7-0.9 cm, glabrous. Fl. May-Jun, fr. Jul-Aug.

Larix forests and forest margins, roadsides; 1100-1500 m. S Jilin (Changbai Shan) [Japan, Russia].