Shrubs, 2-7 m, (multistemmed, sometimes forming clones by stem fragmentation). Stems: branches (highly brittle or not at base), red-brown to violet, usually glaucous, glabrous; branchlets yellow-brown, (strongly glaucous or not), glabrous, sparsely velvety, or tomentose. Leaves: stipules absent or rudimentary on early ones, foliaceous or rudimentary on late ones, apex acute; petiole convex to flat adaxially, 4-14 mm, velvety adaxially; largest medial blade lorate, narrowly oblong, narrowly elliptic, or narrowly oblanceolate, 47-115 × 8-22 mm, 3.5-7.7 times as long as wide, base cuneate or convex, margins flat to slightly revolute, entire and gland-dotted, serrulate or crenate, apex acuminate, acute, or convex, abaxial surface glaucous, glabrous, sparsely tomentose, or short-silky, hairs wavy, adaxial slightly to highly glossy, glabrous or pilose; proximal blade margins entire or serrulate; juvenile blade yellowish green or reddish, glabrous or sparsely villous abaxially, hairs white. Catkins flowering before or just before leaves emerge; staminate stout or subglobose, 15-34 × 8-22 mm, flowering branchlet 0(-2) mm; pistillate densely flowered, stout or slender, 14-43 × 7-12 mm, flowering branchlet 0-4 mm; floral bract brown or black, 1.3-2.5 mm, apex rounded, abaxially hairy, hairs straight or wavy. Staminate flowers: adaxial nectary narrowly oblong to oblong, 0.3-0.8 mm; filaments connate less than to more than 1/2 their lengths; anthers yellow or purple turning yellow, ellipsoid or shortly cylindrical, 0.4-0.7 mm. Pistillate flowers: adaxial nectary narrowly oblong to oblong, 0.3-0.7 mm; stipe 0.4-1 mm; ovary pyriform, beak slightly bulged below styles; ovules 9-12 per ovary; styles 0.3-0.9 mm; stigmas flat, abaxially non-papillate with rounded tip, 0.15-0.28-0.6 mm. Capsules 3.5-4 mm. 2n = 38.
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