Shrubs 1-2 m tall. Branchlets pubescent; nodal spines 3-7, verticillate, needlelike, to 1 cm; internodes minutely sparsely prickly. Buds yellowish brown, oblong to ovoid, 4-6 × 2-3 mm, pubescent, apex obtuse or acute. Petiole 1.5-3 cm, minutely pubescent, sparsely stalked glandular near base; leaf blade broadly ovate to suborbicular, 1.5-2.5 cm, sparsely pubescent, usually also with small glands, base rounded to subcordate; lobes 3-5, margin coarsely serrate, apex obtuse or acute; terminal lobe subequaling or slightly longer than lateral ones. Flowers solitary or 2 or 3 in short racemes, bisexual; bracts ovate to suborbicular, 1.5-2.5 mm, pubescent, margin shortly stalked glandular; pedicel 2-4 mm, minutely pubescent and sparsely stalked glandular. Calyx pubescent then glabrescent; tube campanulate, 4-6 mm, glabrous adaxially; lobes reflexed, oblong to ligulate, 5-7 mm. Petals obovate-oblong to ligulate, 1.5-2.5 mm. Stamens longer than petals. Ovary glabrous. Style slightly shorter than or subequaling stamens, apex entire or stigma 2-lobed. Fruit purple-black, globose, 0.8-1 cm, glabrous. Fl. May-Jun, fr. Jul-Aug.

* Moist mountain slopes, dry foothills, rock crevices; 900-1900 m. N Xinjiang.