Shrubs, deciduous, 1.5-2.5 m tall. Branches grayish black; shoots purplish red, angulate, sparsely black verruculose; spines simple or 3-fid, 1-2 cm. Petiole 1-2 mm; leaf blade abaxially pale gray, adaxially dark green, oblong-obovate, 1-2 cm × 4-6 mm, papery, abaxially sparsely papillose, midvein obviously raised, both surfaces with raised reticulate veins, base cuneate, attenuate to decurrent petiole, margin entire, apex rounded. Inflorescence a raceme, 4-8-flowered, 2-3 cm including peduncle 0.3-1.5 cm, glabrous; bracts 1-1.5 mm. Pedicels 4-9 mm, glabrous. Sepals in 2 whorls; outer sepals ovate, ca. 2.8 × 1.8 mm, apex obtuse; inner sepals obovate, ca. 3 × 2.5 mm. Petals obovate, ca. 3.3 × 2.5 mm, base with separate elliptic glands, apex entire. Stamens ca. 2.3 mm; anther connective prolonged, truncate. Ovules 2. Berry red, obovoid, 7-8 × 4.5-5 mm, densely blue or violet pruinose, style persistent and conspicuous. Fl. May-Jul, fr. Aug-Oct.