Shrubs low, to 40 cm tall. Branchlets supine or ascending, russet or dark brown. Petiole short; leaf blade elliptic or obovate-elliptic, sometimes suboblong, abaxially glaucous, glabrous, adaxially green, base rounded or cuneate, margin crenate or crenate-serrate, apex acute or obtuse. Flowering coetaneous. Catkins shortly cylindric or elliptic; rachis glabrous or pilose; bracts broadly elliptic, slightly ciliate, both surfaces glabrous. Male flower: adaxial and abaxial glands usually 2- or 3-lobed, or abaxial gland 2-lobed, rarely entire; stamens 2; filaments distinct, glabrous; anthers purplish red. Female flower: adaxial gland long and broad, sometimes 2-cleft, abaxial gland sometimes 2-lobed or absent; ovary glabrous, sessile; style 2-cleft; stigma 2-lobed. Capsule narrowly ovoid or ovoid, ca. 5 mm. Fl. May, fr. Jun.

* Thickets on mountain slopes; 3600-4300 m. E Xizang, W Yunnan.