Plant: shrub, dioecious, 2-6 m, much-branched, thorny Leaves: opposite or some alternate, 2-6 cm, simple, entire, generally oblong, more silvery on lower surface Inflorescence: generally umbel-like, axillary; flowers 1-few Flowers: hypanthium greenish yellow inside; Staminate flower < 2 mm, ± 4 mm wide at top; hypanthium rotate; tube < lobes; disk lobes alternate stamens; Pistillate flower ± 2 mm, 1 mm wide; hypanthium urn-shaped, nearly closed at top; tube > lobes; disk lobes 8, nearly meeting above ovary; stigma cap-like Fruit: achene enclosed in fleshy hypanthium, 5 mm, elliptic in outline, red Misc: Along streams, river bottoms, slopes; 1000-2000 m.; Apr-May