Shrubs, deciduous, to 2 m tall. Stems dark purple, terete, glabrous, not verruculose; internodes 1.5-3 cm; spines 3-fid, pale purplish brown, 5-15 mm, slightly sulcate. Petiole 1-4 mm or leaf subsessile; leaf blade adaxially dark blue-green, slightly pruinose, oblong-obovate, 2-4.2 × 0.8-1.5 cm, papery, abaxially white pruinose, adaxially slightly pruinose, abaxially inconspicuously reticulate veined, adaxially with branched veins, base cuneate, margin entire, sometimes 1-5-aristate-dentate on each side, apex rounded. Flowers solitary. Pedicels 8-13 mm, pruinose. Sepals in 3 whorls; outer sepals ovate, ca. 5 × 3.2 mm, pruinose, apex acute; median sepals obovate, ca. 7 × 5 mm; inner sepals obovate-orbicular, ca. 8 × 7.5 mm. Petals broadly obovate, ca. 7 × 6 mm, base with separate glands, apex emarginate. Stamens ca. 4 mm; anther connective slightly prolonged, truncate or obtuse. Ovules 7-9. Berry red when mature, oblong-ovoid, 11-14 × 6-7 mm, pruinose, apex bent; style persistent, short. Fl. Jun-Jul, fr. Aug-Sep.
Can be grown by cuttings or seedlings. Seeds needs stratification.