Clethra brachypoda L. C. Hu; C. brachystachya W. P. Fang & L. C. Hu; C. magnifica W. P. Fang & L. C. Hu; C. magnifica var. trichocarpa L. C. Hu.

Trees or shrubs 1–15 m tall, deciduous. Petiole 0.4–2.6 cm; leaf blade narrowly oblong-elliptic, narrowly elliptic, oblanceolate-elliptic, lanceolate-elliptic, or elliptic, 5.7–15.6 × 1.5–6.0 cm, papery, abaxially stellate pubescent or appressed pilose on major veins and stellate-tufted in secondary vein axils but glabrous elsewhere or occasionally sparsely stellate pubescent, and reticulations cinnamon, tawny, or dark brown and not or only slightly raised, base cuneate to rounded, margin serrate nearly throughout or basal 1/4 entire, teeth 22–41 per side on larger leaves and 1–7 mm apart, apex acuminate to long-acuminate; secondary veins (11–)15–21 cm on each side of midvein. Racemes (1–)3–7 per twig, 5.5–24 cm, tawny brown to light brown or rust colored stellate-tomentose, thickest rachis on each twig basally 1–1.6(–1.8) mm in diam.; bracts subulate, 5–10 mm. Pedicel 1–12 mm at anthesis. Sepals ovate-deltoid to rarely ovate, 2.0–4.0 × 1.0–1.5 mm, outside densely tawny- to grayish white stellate tomentose and surface (when visible) not blackened medially, midvein usually distinct at anthesis, apex acuminate-mucronate to rarely obtuse-mucronate. Petals white, 3–5 × 2–2.5 mm, outside smooth, inside glabrous or basally sparsely barbate, margin thickened and apically fimbriate. Stamens 3–7 mm, exserted or occasionally nearly equal to petal lengths; filaments basally pilose or occasionally glabrous; anthers 1.0–2.0 mm. Style 2–3.5 mm at anthesis, glabrous, apex 3-lobed to shallowly 3-cleft. Fruiting pedicel 3–11 mm. Ovary and capsule apically hirsutulous with longer hairs 0.2–0.7 mm; persistent style 3–6 mm. Fl. Jul–Aug, fr. Sep–Oct.

Montane broadleaved forests and scrub, open woodlands and thickets; 700–2100 m. Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan.