Shrubs evergreen to semievergreen, low, to 1.5(–3) m tall. Branchlets dark grayish brown or brownish, terete, initially densely whitish tomentose, glabrate. Petiole 1–3 mm, tomentose; stipules caducous, subulate, 2–3 mm, tomentulose; leaf blade elliptic to elliptic-obovate, 5–10(–16) × (2–)4–9 mm, abaxially densely gray tomentose, adaxially initially appressed pubescent, glabrescent, base narrowly to broadly cuneate, apex acute and mucronate, rarely ± obtuse. Inflorescences (1- or)3–5(–9)-flowered; bracts lanceolate, nearly as long as pedicels, tomentose. Pedicel 3–5 mm, tomentose. Flowers 7–9 mm in diam. Hypanthium campanulate, abaxially tomentose. Sepals ovate-triangular, 1.5–2 mm, apex acute. Petals spreading, white, suborbicular or broadly ovate, 3–4 mm in diam., glabrous, base shortly clawed, apex obtuse. Stamens 20, slightly shorter than petals. Ovary pubescent apically; styles 2, free, nearly as long as stamens. Fruit red, subglobose, 5–6 mm in diam., pyrenes usually 2. Fl. Apr–Jun, fr. Sep–Oct.

Mountain regions, rocky mountain slopes, thickets, roadsides; 1000--3900 m. Guizhou, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan [Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal].