Shrubs, deciduous, 1-3 m tall. Branches yellowish gray, glabrous or sparsely pubescent; shoots pale brown, angulate, glabrous or pubescent, sparsely black verruculose; spines 3-fid, rarely simple, concolorous, 1-3 cm, adaxially sulcate. Petiole 3-10 mm, pubescent; leaf blade abaxially yellow-green, adaxially dark green, elliptic, obovate, or oblong-elliptic, 3-8(-14) × 1.5-3.5(-5) cm, thickly papery, abaxially densely villous on veins, adaxially rugose, sparsely puberulous, base cuneate, margin flat, 20-40-spinose-serrate on each side, apex acute or obtuse. Inflorescence a spikelike raceme, 20-50-flowered, 5-12 cm including peduncle 1.5-4 cm. Pedicels ca. 2 mm, pubescent; bractlets red, lanceolate; flowers yellow. Sepals in 3 whorls, margin puberulous; outer sepals reddish, ovate, ca. 2 × 1.5 mm, apex acute; median sepals oblong-obovate, ca. 3 × 2.5 cm; inner sepals obovate-elliptic, ca. 4.5 × 3 mm, apex obtuse. Petals elliptic, ca. 5 × 3 mm, base clawed, with separate glands, apex emarginate or entire, lobes acute. Stamens ca. 2 mm; anther connective not prolonged, truncate. Ovules 1 or 2. Berry shiny, scarlet, oblong, 6-9 × ca. 5 mm, not pruinose, style persistent. Fl. May-Jun, fr. Jul-Sep.
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