Stems: branches gray-brown to red-brown, not glaucous, glabrous; branchlets red-brown, glabrous or puberulent. Leaves: stipules rudimentary on early ones, apex acute; petiole shallowly grooved adaxially, 3–11 mm, puberulent to glabrescent adaxially; largest medial blade very narrowly elliptic to elliptic, 38–78 × 7–18 mm, base cuneate or convex, margins slightly revolute, serrulate, apex acuminate, acute, or convex, abaxial surface glaucous (sometimes obscured by hairs), sparsely to densely long-silky, hairs (white, sometimes also ferruginous), straight, adaxial highly or slightly glossy, glabrous; proximal blade margins entire; juvenile blade yellowish green, very densely long-silky abaxially, hairs white, sometimes also ferruginous. Catkins flowering as or just before leaves emerge; staminate stout or slender, 17–43 × 5–10 mm, flowering branchlet 0–2.5 mm; pistillate densely to loosely flowered, stout to slender, 20–46 × 6–15 mm, flowering branchlet 0–6 mm; floral bract tawny or brown, 0.8–1.2 mm, apex convex to rounded, abaxially hairy, hairs straight or wavy. Staminate flowers: adaxial nectary oblong, 0.6–0.9 mm; filaments distinct; anthers purple turning yellow, ellipsoid to globose, 0.3–0.6 mm. Pistillate flowers: adaxial nectary oblong or ovate, 0.6–1 mm; ovary pyriform, beak gradually tapering to styles; ovules 16–18 per ovary; styles 0.3–0.5 mm. Capsules 4–6 mm. 2n = 38.
