Andromeda formosa Wallich, Asiat. Res. 13: 395. 1820; Lyonia formosa (Wallich) Handel-Mazzetti; Pieris bodinieri H. Léveillé; P. formosa var. forrestii (Harrow) Airy Shaw; P. formosa f. longiracemosa Fang; P. forrestii Harrow; P. huana W. P. Fang; P. japonica (Thunberg) D. Don ex G. Don subsp. formosa (Wallich) Kitamura.

Shrubs or small trees, (2–)3–5(–10) m tall. Twigs glabrous to densely pubescent. Leaves scattered or pseudoverticillate, often reddish when young; petiole 1–1.5 cm; leaf blade lanceolate, elliptic, or oblong, rarely oblanceolate, 3–14 × ca. 1.4 cm, abaxially glabrous, adaxially puberulous to glabrescent, secondary and fine veins conspicuous on both surfaces, base cuneate to obtuse, margin conspicuously toothed from base to apex, apex acuminate or acute. Inflorescences paniculate or racemose; rachis 4–10(–20) cm. Pedicel 1–3 mm. Calyx lobes lanceolate, ca. 4 mm. Corolla tubular-urceolate or urceolate, 5–8 mm; lobes broadly triangular. Filaments straight, ca. 4 mm, pubescent. Ovary depressed-globose; style slightly sunken into apex. Capsule ovoid, ca. 4 mm in diam., glabrous. Seeds spindle-shaped, 2–3 mm. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Jul–Sep. 2n = 24.

Thickets, open slopes; (500–)900–2300(–3800) m. Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Bhutan, NE India (Assam), Myanmar, Nepal, Vietnam].