Shrub or small tree 0.4-2 m tall;  bark fissured, glabrous, gray to black, often with persistent and projecting leaf bases;  twigs subterete, covered with persistent and projecting leaf bases, dark brown to black, glandular-hispid.  Leaves coriaceous, longitudinally-curled, linear, 0.85-1.8 x 0.15-0.25 cm, base attenuate or cuneate, apex acute to acuminate, (glandular-mucronate), margin glandular-ciliate, both surfaces glandular-hispid (adaxially glabrous);  petiole slightly flattened adaxially, 0.5-2.5 mm long, glandular-hispid.  Inflorescence terminal, spike-like racemes, 8-20-flowered;  rachis 1.5-4.4 cm long, 1-1.5 mm diam., orange, brown, or gray, densely glandular-hispid;  pedicels ascending or usually divergent, 1-4.5 mm long, 0.6-0.9 mm diam., densely glandular-hispid;  bracteoles inserted on the apical 1/2 of the pedicel or often immediately below the calyx, elliptic or oblong, flat, 2-4 x 0.4-1 mm, base cuneate, apex acute to acuminate (obtuse), margin glandular-ciliate, both surfaces glandular-hispid;  floral bracts elliptic to linear, rarely ovate, flat or longitudinally-curled, 3.1-14.5 x 0.9-1.8 mm, base cuneate, apex acute to acuminate, margin glandular-ciliate, abaxial surface glandular-hispid.  Flowers 7-merous;  calyx 2.7-4.4 mm long;  tube 1-2.7 mm long, 3.2-4 mm diam., orange, brown or purple, glandular-hispid;  lobes ovate to deltate or sometimes elliptic, apex caudate or acute, (1.5-)2-2.8 x (1.1-)1.4-2.9 mm, longest lobes 2.3-2.9 mm long, margin entire, dentate, or sometimes glandular-ciliate, abaxial surface glandular-hispid (tomentose);  corolla globose-campanulate, red to scarlet, petals undulate, narrowly obovate, 5-11 x 2.7-4.3 mm, margin entire, sometimes distally slightly ciliolate, glabrous;  stamens included, 8-11 mm long;  filaments tomentose;  anthers 1.2-1.8 mm long, 0.8-1.1 mm diam, glabrous;  ovary glabrous;  style subequal to corolla, 8.5-11 mm long;  stigma 7-lobed.  Capsules depressed obovoid, 3.4-4.5 mm long, 4.9-6.4 mm diam., brown to black, exocarp separating from the valves;  seeds 0.8-1.1 mm, 0.3-0.4 mm diam.

    Distribution.  Endemic to the Sierra de Perijá along the Colombia/Venezuela border, where it usually grows in the páramos and rarely in the montane forests,at 2700-3350 m alt.  Flowering specimens were collected from February to May and November, fruiting specimens were collected from November to March.  Rare and endangered.