Rubus gracilis Roxburgh (1824), not J. Presl & C. Presl (1822); R. gracilis Roxburgh var. chiliacanthus Handel-Mazzetti; R. hypargyrus Edgeworth; R. hypargyrus var. niveus H. Hara; R. niveus Wallich ex G. Don (1832), not Thunberg (1813); R. pedunculosus var. hypargyrus (Edgeworth) Kitamura.

Shrubs. Branchlets brownish to reddish brown, initially pubescent, gradually glabrescent, with few prickles. Leaves imparipinnate, 3-foliolate, rarely 5-foliolate; petiole 3–5 cm, with rachis pubescent, with sparse, minute prickles; stipules linear or linear-lanceolate, 5–8 mm, soft hairy; blade of leaflets ovate or broadly ovate, rarely ovate-lanceolate, 2.5–6 × 2–5 cm, abaxially densely persistent tomentose, adaxially pubescent, glabrescent, base subrounded to shallowly cordate, margin irregularly incised rough sharp doubly serrate, apex acute to acuminate. Inflorescences corymbose, several flowered. Pedicel 1.5–3.5 cm, soft hairy. Flowers 1.5–2 cm in diam. Calyx to ca. 1.5 cm, abaxially pubescent; tube pelviform; sepals erect after anthesis, narrowly ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 1–1.2 cm × 3–6 mm, margin tomentose, apex long acuminate or caudate. Petals pink, ovate, 7–10 × 4–6 mm, shorter than sepals, base shortly clawed, apex slightly incised or entire. Stamens many. Pistils somewhat shorter than or nearly as long as stamens; ovary sericeous, soft hairy. Aggregate fruit black, ovoid-globose.

Forested slopes, thickets, logged lands; 3000--3200 m. SE Xizang, W Yunnan [Bhutan, NW India, Kashmir, Nepal, Sikkim].