Shrubs deciduous or semievergreen, erect, to 2.5 m tall. Branchlets ± dichotomously arranged, grayish brown when old, terete, initially densely yellow strigose, gradually glabrescent. Petiole 1–3 mm, villous; stipules persistent, lanceolate, 2–4 mm, pilose; leaf blade broadly ovate or broadly obovate, (0.4–)0.8–1.5(–2.5) × (0.5–)0.7–1.3(–1.8) cm, midvein raised abaxially and impressed adaxially, both surfaces appressed villous, more densely so adaxially, base rounded or broadly cuneate, apex acute and mucronate, rarely obtuse. Inflorescences 1-flowered. Pedicel 1–2 mm. Flower 5–7 mm in diam. Hypanthium campanulate, abaxially glabrous. Sepals broadly triangular, 1–2 × 2–3 mm, apex ± acute or obtuse. Petals erect, white or stained reddish, ovate or suborbicular, 3–4 mm in diam., apex obtuse. Stamens 20, shorter than petals. Ovary pubescent apically; styles (2 or)3(or 4), free, somewhat not exceeding stamens. Fruit nodding, red, broadly obovoid, 7–8 mm in diam., shortly puberulous, pyrenes (2 or)3(or 4). Fl. Jun–Jul, fr. Sep–Oct.

Thickets, forests, grassy slopes, mountain regions and valleys; 1600--4000 m. Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan [Bhutan, NE India, N Myanmar, Nepal, Sikkim].