Trees 7–12 m tall. Branches blackish brown, glabrous, with pale lenticels; branchlets reddish brown to purplish brown, brown velutinous, glabrescent. Winter buds ovoid, usually glabrous. Stipules linear, margin entire, apex obtuse. Petiole 1.5–2.3 cm, glabrous or brown pubescent; leaf blade elliptic to ovate-oblong, 8–14 × 4–8 cm, abaxially brownish and densely brown pubescent at least on veins or tufted in vein axils, adaxially dark green and glabrous, base cordate to rarely rounded, margin acutely appressed serrate with teeth apically aristate, apex acute to caudate. Racemes 17–22 cm, many-flowered, basally with 1–3 leaves; peduncle brown pubescent. Flowers not seen. Fruiting pedicel ca. 4 mm, brown pubescent. Drupe reddish brown to purplish brown, globose to ovoid, ca. 5 mm in diam., glabrous; sepals soon caducous. Fl. May, fr. Jun–Jul.

Margins of dense forests, slopes, stream sides; 2000--3000 m. SW Sichuan, Yunnan.