Shrubs, 2-4 m tall, densely branched. Bark reddish brown, longitudinally sulcate, with elliptic lenticels; pith brownish; young branches yellowish white hirsute, sometimes papillose. Leaflets 2-jugate, abaxially pale, adaxially green, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, 5-14 × 1.6-5.5 cm, midvein long hirsute, base cordate and oblique, margin irregularly acutely toothed, apex long acuminate; petiolule and leaf rachis yellow hirsute; stipules glandular. Inflorescence an erect cymose panicle, 3.5-5 cm; peduncle papillose. Flowers opening with leaves; calyx tube urceolate, ca. 1 mm, lobes triangular-lanceolate, slightly shorter than tube; corolla greenish or yellowish, lobes oblong; stamens yellowish brown; anthers yellow; ovary 3-loculed; styles short; stigmas 3-lobed. Fruit red, ovoid or subglobose, 3-5 mm in diam.; pyrenes 2 or 3, ovoid to ellipsoid, 2.5-3.5 mm, slightly rugose. Fr. Jul-Aug. 2n = 18, 36, 38*.