A large deciduous precocious shrub, 2-3 m tall with stiff stout branches; winter buds protected by scales. Leaves 5-12 x 2.5-6 cm, elliptic, oblong, acute (scarcely short acuminate), sharply toothed, cuneate at the base, more or less hairy on the nerves. Main lateral nerves 7-10 pairs, prominent, closely parallel, undivided. Flowers in terminal sessile corymbs. Bracts variable in size, hairy. Calyx tube mm long, glabrous; lobes short, ciliate. Corolla long-tubular, 10-15 mm lobes rounded, spreading, white to rose-pink. Stamens in two series, 2 attached near the mouth of corolla tube, 3 lower down, anthers included. Stigma subsessile, 3-lobed. Drupe c. 1 cm long, ellipsoid, compressed, black when ripe. Seed sigh grooved on one side, deeply grooved on the other with incurved margins.

Fl. Per.: November-June.

Type locality: ‘ad Kamaon Napaliae’, Wallich.

Distribution: Himalaya from Swat eastward to Bhutan, S. Tibet.

Previously confused with V. nervosum D. Don which is distributed from Kumaon to Bhutan and not reported from our area; distinguished from V. grandiflorum in having cordate leaf bases and a much shorter corolla tube.

One of the commonest shrubs in the Himalaya between 1500-3000 m. The flowers often appear soon after the leaves have fallen in November and continue to appear till June. The flowers that appear in early winter before snow are smaller and in much denser cymes than the flowers which appear hi late spring. The flowers are sweet scented, but leaves emit a bad smell when bruised. The fruit is sweetish and edible.