Shrubs, deciduous, 1-3 m tall. Branches dark gray, angulate, scarcely verruculose; shoots purplish brown or pale yellow, glabrous; spines simple or absent, occasionally 3-fid, 3-7 mm. Petiole 0.5-2.5 cm, sometimes leaf subsessile, glabrous; leaf blade adaxially deep green, obovate, oblong-obovate, or suborbicular, 2-6 × 0.7-3.5 cm, papery, abaxially glaucous, not pruinose, midvein and lateral veins raised, both surfaces with conspicuous reticulate veins, adaxially with slightly raised or flat midvein and lateral veins, base narrowly cuneate or abruptly contracted, margin entire or inconspicuously few spinulose-serrulate on each side, apex rounded, obtuse, mucronate. Inflorescence an umbellate raceme, loosely 6-12-flowered, 3-8 cm including peduncle 3-10 mm, glabrous, sometimes with few fascicled flowers at base; pedicels 0.5-2 cm, pedicels of fascicled flowers to 3 cm. Sepals in 2 whorls; outer sepals obovate, ca. 4 × 3.5 mm; inner sepals obovate, ca. 6 × 4.5 mm. Petals obovate, ca. 4.5 × 3.5 mm, base with separate glands, apex subentire. Stamens ca. 3.5 mm; anther connective apiculate. Ovules 2, sessile. Berry red, oblong, 9-10 × 4-5 mm, not pruinose, style not persistent. Fl. Apr-Jun, fr. Jul-Oct.