Shrubs, sometimes arborescent, evergreen, 2–3(–6) m. Stems erect, not rooting at nodes; branchlets reddish brown or brown, usually not, sometimes weakly, thorn-tipped, usually round, sometimes ± angled in cross section, flexible to rigid, glabrous, puberulent, or villosulous. Leaves: petiole 3–8 mm; blade flat, ovate to widely elliptic, 8–35 × 4–25 mm, base obtuse to subcordate, margins denticulate most of length, not revolute, teeth 19–71, apex obtuse, rounded, or acute, abaxial surface usually pale green, sometimes gray-green, sometimes glaucous, glabrate to hirtellous, adaxial surface dark green, villosulous, especially on the veins, or glabrate; 3-veined from base. Inflorescences axillary, racemelike, 1.5–5.2 cm. Flowers: sepals, petals, and nectary usually pale to deep blue or purplish blue, rarely white. Capsules 4–7 mm wide, lobed, ± depressed at apex; valves smooth or rugose, viscid, crested or not.
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