Plants 0.2-1.5(-2) m. Stems: branches red-brown, not glaucous to strongly glaucous on buds, glabrous or puberulent at nodes; branchlets yellow-brown or red-brown, (sometimes weakly glaucous), glabrous or puberulent, (inner membranaceous bud-scale layer free, separating from outer layer). Leaves: stipules absent, rudimentary or foliaceous on early ones, foliaceous on late ones, apex acute; petiole shallowly grooved, or convex to flat adaxially, 5-8 mm, puberulent adaxially; largest medial blade narrowly elliptic or elliptic, (20-)30-65(-75) × (8-)10-30(-35) mm, 1.8-3.7 times as long as wide, base convex, rounded, or cuneate, margins slightly revolute or flat, entire or shallowly serrulate, apex acute, acuminate, or convex, abaxial surface glaucous, glabrous or glabrescent, adaxial slightly glossy or dull, glabrous or pilose, midrib sparsely pubescent, hairs short, white, and ferruginous; proximal blade margins entire or serrulate; juvenile blade green, glabrous, or midrib sparsely villous abaxially, hairs usually white and ferruginous. Catkins flowering as leaves emerge; staminate stout, 11-25 × 6-11 mm, flowering branchlet 1-5 mm; pistillate densely or loosely flowered, stout, 14-38.5 × 8-14 mm, flowering branchlet 1.5-14 mm; floral bract brown, black, or bicolor, 0.7-2 mm, apex rounded to convex, abaxially hairy, hairs wavy. Staminate flowers: adaxial nectary oblong, square, or ovate, 0.2-0.9 mm; filaments distinct, glabrous; anthers yellow, 0.3-0.6 mm. Pistillate flowers: adaxial nectary oblong or ovate, 0.4-0.8 mm, shorter than stipe; stipe 0.5-1.2 mm; ovary pyriform, glabrous, beak gradually tapering to styles; ovules 12-19 per ovary; styles 0.3-1.2 mm; stigmas flat, abaxially non-papillate with rounded tip, or 2 plump lobes, 0.2-0.3-0.56 mm. Capsules 3-7 mm.
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