Subshrubs epiparasitic, monoecious, yellowish green, 15-20 cm tall. Branches usually opposite, decussate, rounded; internodes 1.2-2.5 cm, shorter toward apex (0.4-0.6 cm), slightly longitudinally grooved. Leaves reduced to pairs of ± scarious scales, absent in seedlings. Inflorescences axillary or some cymes fascicled around nodes, 3-flowered, central flower female, lateral flowers male; navicular involucre ca. 1 mm. Male flowers ovoid in bud, ca. 0.7 mm. Female flower ovoid in bud, ca. 1 mm; perianth lobes 4, triangular, 0.3 mm. Stigma nipple-shaped. Berry subglobose, 3-4 mm, slightly verruculose, base rounded. Fl. and fr. Mar-May.

Forests, mountain slopes; 1200-2600 m. Yunnan (Jianchuan, Menghai, Zhongdian) [India, Indonesia, Philippines].