Vines woody. Branches shallowly 8--10-grooved, glabrous, ± glaucous. Leaves 1-pinnate, rarely 2-pinnate; petiole 3--8 cm, base ± dilated and connate to opposite petiole forming a disclike glaucous structure, glabrous or sparsely puberulous; leaflet blades ovate, broadly ovate, or narrowly ovate, 4--12 × 3.5--7.5 cm, papery, undivided or 3-lobed, abaxially glabrous, sparsely puberulous, densely puberulous, or sericeous-puberulous, often glaucous, adaxially glabrous or sparsely puberulous, base cordate or rarely truncate, rounded, or broadly cuneate, margin dentate, apex caudate-acuminate to acuminate; basal veins abaxially ± prominent. Cymes axillary, (5--)11- to many flowered, often paniclelike; peduncle 2.5--14 cm, glabrous or sparsely puberulous; bracts narrowly ovate to lanceolate, 1--4 cm. Flowers 1.2--1.8 cm in diam. Pedicel 1.5--4 cm, puberulous. Sepals 4, yellowish, erect, oblong, oblong-lanceolate, or narrowly oblong, (1.2--)1.6--2.2 × 0.3--0.6 cm, abaxially ± densely appressed puberulous or rarely glabrous, adaxially appressed puberulous near apex, margin abaxially velutinous, apex ± acute and recurved. Stamens 1--1.3 cm; filaments densely pubescent; anthers narrowly oblong to linear, 2.8--4.2 mm, glabrous or only abaxially puberulous on connective, apex obtuse. Ovaries puberulous. Style 0.8--1.3 cm, densely villous. Achenes ovate, ca. 4 × 2 mm, puberulous; persistent style ca. 4 cm, plumose. Fl. Aug--Oct, fr. Sep--Nov.

Forests, scrub, along streams or rivers; 2000--3400 m. W Guizhou, SW to W Sichuan, S Xizang, N to NW Yunnan [Bhutan, N India, Kashmir, Nepal, N Pakistan, Sikkim].