Herbs perennial, robust, 5–25 cm tall. Stems densely tufted, nearly equaling leaves, together with petioles densely yellow-brown sericeous. Petiole 4–18 cm; leaf blade 3-foliolate; leaflets shortly petiolulate, abaxially pale green, adaxially dark green, obovate or elliptic, 1–4.5 × 0.8–3 cm, thick, abaxially yellow-brown sericeous or waxy white papillate, adaxially sparsely pubescent, base cuneate on central leaflet, oblique on lateral ones, margin obtusely or acutely incised serrate, apex rounded. Inflorescence cymose, (1 or)2–5(or 6)-flowered, proximally with a petiolate, 1- or 3-foliolate bract. Flowers bisexual, 1–2 cm in diam. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, as broad as or broader than epicalyx segments; epicalyx segments lanceolate, margin entire or 2-fid. Petals white, orbicular, base tapering into a short claw. Stamens ca. 20, unequal. Aggregate fruit ripening white, tinged yellow or red, globose; persistent sepals erect, appressed to aggregate fruit. Achenes ovoid, glabrous. Fl. Apr–Jul, fr. Jun–Aug. 2n = 14.

Valley forests, forest margins, thickets, meadows on mountain slopes, valleys; 700--3000 m. Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan [E India, Nepal, Sikkim, N Vietnam].