Deciduous shrub or small tree 1–4.5(–6) m tall with smooth whitish or dark grey bark, extensively branched, the young branches brown or blackish purple at first, later becoming whitish, lenticellate. Leaves reddish or bronze when young, fairly thin to subcoriaceous, elliptic, obovate, oblong or ± round, (1.4–)1.7–4.8(–7.5)(–15 fide Vollesen) cm long, 0.9–2.8(–3)(–7.5 fide Vollesen) cm wide, rounded or obtuse at the apex (rarely ± acute), cuneate to truncate or subcordate at the base, margins sharply curved-serrate; lateral veins together with dense reticulate tertiary venation prominent on both surfaces; petiole 1–2.5(–4) mm long; stipules linear-lanceolate, ± 5 mm long, fimbriate at apex. Flowers precocious or with very young leaves, 1(–2) (rarely 4), on short node-like shoots often closely placed on branchlets; pedicels (0.5–)1.3–3 cm long, jointed (0.5–)1–3(–4) mm from the base; young buds depressed globose, 2–3 mm diameter. Sepals green or orange, elliptic, 5–6 mm long, 4 mm wide, rounded, becoming crimson-red in fruit and enlarging to 8–16 mm long, 7–8 mm wide, convex, usually remaining imbricate around the fruit. Petals bright yellow, obovate or round, 7–11 mm long, 4.5–6 mm wide. Anthers orange-yellow, 1–1.5 mm long, 1/2–1/3 as long as the filaments, dehiscing by apical pores. Carpels 5; styles united almost to apex, recurved at tips. Drupelets black, ellipsoid, 7–10 mm long, 5–7 mm diameter.