Shrubs, sometimes arborescent, evergreen, 2–6 m. Stems erect, not rooting at nodes; branchlets green, thorn-tipped or not, round to ± angled in cross section, rigid, glabrous or sparsely puberulent. Leaves: not fascicled; petiole 4–7 mm; blade ± cupped, elliptic to oblong, 11–35 × 8–29 mm, base cuneate to rounded, margins entire, apex obtuse to weakly retuse, abaxial surface pale green, not glaucous, sometimes puberulent on midribs, adaxial surface green, shiny, glabrous; pinnately veined. Inflorescences axillary, paniclelike, 4–17 cm. Flowers: sepals, petals, and nectary pale blue to blue. Capsules 4–6 mm wide, not lobed; valves smooth, not conspicuously viscid, not or weakly crested. 2n = 24.