Shrubs, deciduous, 1-2 m tall. Branches brownish yellow, angulate, glabrous, sparsely black verruculose; shoots brownish red; spines simple or 3-fid, 2-15 mm, slender, sometimes absent. Petiole 2-5 mm; leaf blade abaxially grayish green, adaxially dark green, narrowly obovate, 1.2-3.5 × 0.5-1.4 cm, papery, abaxially not pruinose, midvein and lateral veins slightly raised, reticulate veins conspicuous, adaxially with conspicuous midvein and lateral veins, reticulate veins indistinct, margin flat, entire. Inflorescence a raceme, 4-16-flowered, 1.5-4 cm, with few fascicled flowers at base, glabrous. Pedicels 4-10 mm, glabrous; bractlets red, 1.5-2 × ca. 1 mm. Sepals in 2 whorls; outer sepals broadly ovate, 2.5-3 × ca. 2.5 mm, apex acute; inner sepals elliptic, 3-4 × 2.5-3.5 mm. Petals obovate, 4-5 × 2-3 mm, base clawed, with separate to subapproximate oblong glands, apex emarginate, lobes acute. Stamens ca. 2.5 mm; anther connective slightly prolonged, truncate or obtusely subconical. Ovules 2, sessile. Berry deep red, shiny, oblong or oblong-obovoid, 8-10 × 4.5-5 mm, not pruinose, style not persistent. Fl. May-Jun, fr. Aug-Oct.