Shrubs erect, ca. 3 m tall. Branchlets short, with red-brown spines, sparsely pubescent when young, glabrous when old. Leaves alternate or subopposite, or fascicled at base of inflorescence; petiole 1-2 mm, sparsely puberulent; leaf blade obovate or oblong, 0.5-2(-2.5) × 0.4-1.4 cm, papery, both surfaces glabrous or sparsely pubescent when young, adaxially shiny, lateral veins 3 or 4 pairs, prominent abaxially, base rounded, rarely cuneate, margin entire or serrulate, apex rounded, often emarginate. Flowers sessile, yellow-green, in spikes, or rarely in spicate panicles; rachis sparsely puberulent, inserted at middle or lower part of spinescent branches or at leaf axil on short shoots. Calyx glabrous; sepals triangular-ovate, apex acute. Petals shorter than or equaling stamens, apically 2-lobed or entire. Ovary globose, 3-loculed, with 1 ovule per locule; style stout; stigma capitate, 3-fid or cleft. Drupe black-purple when mature, subglobose. Fl. Jun-Sep, fr. Apr-Jun of following year.

This species is quite similar to Sageretia pycnophylla, but the latter has leaves leathery, often distichously arranged, with apex acute or obtuse, and inflorescences inserted at the ends of branchlets, ca. 9 cm. It is also distinguished from S. paucicostata, which has leaves larger than 2.5 cm, margins hooked serrulate, lateral veins 2 or 3 pairs, and petioles more than 4 mm.

● Forest margins on mountains and stony slopes; 1900-3600 m. W Sichuan, E Xizang, NW Yunnan.