Shrubs. Branchlets brownish red or purplish. Petiole 5-8 mm; leaf blade elliptic-oblong to obovate-oblong, rarely obovate, ca. 2.5 × 1 cm, 1-2 cm at anthesis, to 6.5 × 2.5 cm on shoots and robust branchlets, abaxially whitish, adaxially green, base rounded, margin entire or indistinctly dentate, apex acute; fallen leaves of previous year brownish black. Flowering nearly coetaneous. Male catkin 1-2.5 × 0.3-0.4 cm; peduncle short, with 2 or 3 leaflets; bracts obovate, ca. 1 mm, glabrous, apex rounded, rounded-truncate, or spatulate. Male flower: adaxial and abaxial glands divided or entire; stamens 2, distinct, 1.3-2 mm, basally downy; anthers yellow or golden-yellow, subglobose. Fruiting catkin to 4 cm; peduncle ca. 1.5 cm; bracts ovate-orbicular, ca. as long as ovary, glabrous or slightly ciliate. Female flower: adaxial gland present, divided or entire, abaxial gland sometimes present; ovary ovoid or broadly ovoid, glabrous or pubescent at base, sessile; style indistinct; stigma 2-lobed. Capsule conical, ca. 2.5 mm; stipe very short or absent. Fl. beginning of May, fr. Jun.

* Mountain slopes, valleys; 2600-3800 m. SW Sichuan, NW Yunnan.