Trees to 18 m tall; bark grayish black, irregularly furrowed, Branchlets pendulous, brownish yellow, brownish, or slightly purple, slender, glabrous. Buds linear, apex acute. Stipules lanceolate or ovate-orbicular, those of shoots obliquely lanceolate; petiole (3-)5-10 mm; leaf blade narrowly lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 9-16 × 0.5-1.5 cm, abaxially light green, adaxially green, both surfaces glabrous or slightly pilose, base cuneate, margin serrate, apex long acuminate. Male catkin 1.5-2(-3) cm; peduncle short; bracts lanceolate, abaxially pilose. Male flower: glands 2; stamens 2, ca. as long as to longer than bracts, ± long pubescent at base; anthers reddish yellow. Female catkin 2-3(-6) cm, with 3 or 4 leaves on peduncle; bracts lanceolate, 1.8-2(-2.5) mm, abaxially pilose. Female flower: gland adaxial; ovary ellipsoid, glabrous or minutely pubescent proximally, sessile or subsessile; style short; stigma 2-4-parted. Capsule slightly greenish brown, 3-4 mm. Fl. Mar-Apr, fr. Apr-May. 2n = 63, 72, 76.

Used for weaving wicker baskets, timber, and reforestation.

Widespread throughout China [Asia, Europe]