A climbing evergreen shrub, with slender, glabrous, young shoots. Leaves narrowly oblong, tapered at both ends, 11⁄4 to 2 in. long, averaging about 1⁄4 to 1⁄3 in. wide, the decurved margins furnished with appressed hairs, otherwise glabrous. Flowers produced from July to October at the apex of the shoot, and in the terminal leaf-axils, the whole forming a short broad panicle. Corolla purple within, yellow outside, funnel-shaped, 1⁄2 in. long, glabrous outside, downy within. Fruits globose, 1⁄6 to 1⁄4 in. in diameter, black covered with purple bloom, borne in a close head.
Native of China; introduced by Wilson for Messrs Veitch about 1904. An interesting and pretty climber, which first flowered at Coombe Wood in 1909. Closely akin to L. henryi, which has hairy young shoots and bigger leaves.