Shrubs, deciduous, to 3 m tall. Winter buds with several pairs of ovate and acute scales; inner scales often accrescent. Branches with pith becoming brown and later hollow. Branches and petioles tomentose-pubescent to sparsely pubescent, minutely yellow-brown glandular hairy, or subglabrous; petiole 3-8 mm; leaf blade ovate-oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 2-8 × 0.7-2.5 cm, abaxially densely strigose to villous or sparsely pubescent, adaxially sparsely pubescent or subglabrous, base rounded to cuneate, margin sometimes dentate, apex acute to acuminate. Inflorescences axillary paired flowers; peduncle 10-16 mm, sparsely pubescent to tomentose and minutely glandular hairy; bracts linear, 1-8 mm, pubescent and glandular ciliate; bracteoles free in 2 pairs, orbicular-ovate to ovate-lanceolate, to 1 mm. Neighboring 2 ovaries free. Calyx lobes triangular-lanceolate, ca. 1 mm. Corolla bilabiate, white, later yellow, 12-16 mm, outside glabrous; tube short, 4-5 mm, inside densely pubescent, deeply gibbous toward base; upper lip 4-lobed; 2 lateral lobes of upper lip usually lobed 1/2-3/4 and slightly spreading, middle lobes shallowly lobed; lower lip recurved. Stamens and style exserted from corolla tube; style pubescent throughout; stigmas capitate, large. Berries yellow, orange-red, or red, globose, 5-7 mm in diam.; seeds brown, ellipsoid, ca. 3 mm, with minute concave dots. Fl. May-Jun, fr. Jul-Aug. 2n = 18.
Can be grown by cuttings or seedlings. Seeds needs stratification.
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