Shrubs. Branchlets at first gray villous, glabrescent. Buds long pubescent. Petiole to 1 cm, filamentous villous; leaf blade elliptic or obovate-elliptic, ca. 11 × 4 cm, abaxially filamentous tomentose, when mature rarely glabrescent, adaxially downy, base rounded to cuneate, margin entire or indistinctly glandular denticulate distally, apex rounded, obtuse, or acute; veins raised on both surfaces; lateral veins 9-11 on each side of midvein. Flowering coetaneous. Male catkin 4-5 × ca. 1 cm; peduncle 1-3.5 cm, with normal leaflets; rachis villous; bracts obovate or obovate-oblong, ca. 2.5 mm, abaxially villous, apex rounded. Male flower: adaxial gland broader than abaxial gland; stamens 2; filaments villous proximally. Female catkin thinner than male, to 13 cm in fruit. Female flower: adaxial gland ovate-oblong, abaxial gland very small or absent; ovary downy; style ca. 1.5 mm, 2-divided; stigma filamentous, usually twisted. Capsule ca. 5 mm, pilose. Fl. May-Jun, fr. Jul-Aug.