A large, much-branched, straggling shrub up to at least 3.5 m in height with elongated branches. Stem and branches glabrous, terete, yellowish-green to purplish-suffused. Leaves glabrous, broadly ovate to lanceolate-ovate, acute or acuminate, 3-12.5 x 1.5-8 cm, petiole 4-15 mm. Inflorescence of axillary and terminal spikes, at least the terminal usually broadly paniculate with divaricate branches, axis sparsely to moderately furnished with short, multicellular hairs. Bracts in the lower part of the inflorescence lanceolate, acute, c. 1 mm, becoming broader, shorter and blunter above; bracteoles usually 4, the inner deltoid-suborbicular, obtuse, pale-margined, c. 0.75-1.25 mm, the outer shorter and smaller. Flowers hermaphrodite, sessile, solitary or in few-flowered clusters, very numerous. Perianth segments orbicular-oval, 2-2.5 mm, greenish with broad, white margins, with a long central nerve and 2-4 shorter lateral nerves, glabrous. Filaments slender, c. 1.5 times as long as the perianth. Stigmas c. 0.5 mm, erect or spreading, stout, style very short; ovary ovoid. Berry globose, bright red, 4 mm. Seed black, shining, minutely rugulose, broadly reniform, c. 2.5 mm.

Type: Wallich 6889 (K. lectotype!).

Distribution: Confined to the N.W. Himalayan region of India and Pakistan. The only habitat noted for Pakistan is in hedges, the altitude range being 900-2000 m., in India it also grows in bushy places, forest margins and clearings etc.