Trees, to 20 m tall, d.b.h. to 50 cm, deciduous. Bark grayish brown, exfoliating in irregular oblong flakes. Branchlets densely pubescent when young, glabrescent, unwinged and without a corky layer. Winter buds ovoid; bud scales partly pubescent. Petiole 1-1.5 cm, densely villous; leaf blade broadly obovate, oblong-obovate, oblong, or oblong-elliptic, 6-18 × 3-10 cm, scabrous, abaxially densely pubescent, adaxially densely hirsute and pubescent along midvein, base oblique, margin doubly serrate, apex shortly caudate to caudate-acuminate; secondary veins 15-21 on each side of midvein. Inflorescences fascicled cymes on second year branchlets. Perianth glabrous, apically 4-lobed. Samara narrowly obovate, oblong-obovate, or broadly obovate, 1.5-2.5 × 1-1.7 cm, pubescent; stalk 1-2 mm; perianth persistent. Seed at center or toward apex of samara. Fl. and fr. Mar-Apr.