A small deciduous tree, bark dark-grey; branchlets reddish-brown, compressed. Leaves 2.5-9.7 x 1-6 cm, broadly ovate, subacuminate, finely serrate, fimbriate, membranous, glabrous; lateral nerves 4-6; petiole 3-8 mm long; stipules linear. 4, deciduous. Cymes umbellate; peduncles 2.5-7.5 cm long, many flowered. Flowers tetramerous. Petals 2-2.5 mm long, oblong-obovate, cream-coloured, entire. Anthers almost sessile. Style absent. Capsules 7-14 mm broad, wings 4, c. 7 mm long, tapering. Seeds ovoid, enclosed in a red aril.

Fl. Per.: April-May.

Syntypes: Sewalik Mountains, Govan; Srinagar, Kamroop, Wall.Cat. No. 4287.

Distribution: E. Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sikkim and China.

Fairly common from 2400-3000 m, generally in shady places. The leaves and the branches are lopped for fodder. The seeds are often used as beads.