Terrestrial or epiphytic shrub to 2.5-6 m tall;  stem subterete, bluntly angled, striate, glabrous to moderately short-pilose with white hairs;  twigs subterete, glabrous to densely pilose.  Leaves thick coriaceous, oblong-elliptic, ovate-elliptic, rarely ovate or oblanceolate, (11-)13-19(-25) x 4.5-9(-11) cm, basally rounded or obtuse but sometimes truncate, apically short-acuminate rarely abruptly so, glabrous to puberulent proximally along veins above, glabrous to pilose along veins beneath;  5-7(-9)-plinerved from near base, midrib and lateral nerves impressed above and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets plane to slightly impressed or raised above and raised but obscure beneath;  petiole terete to subterete, rugose, 9-18 mm long and 2-3.5 mm diam., glabrous to pilose.  Inflorescence 8-15-flowered, surrounded at base by appressed, oblong to semiorbicular bracts, the lowest coriaceous, densely pilose, green, the upper becoming membranous, glabrous or pilose only at tip, red;  rachis subterete to sharply or coarsely angled, 1.5-3.5 cm long and 4-7 mm diam., often glandular-fimbriate, glabrous to densely short-pilose;  floral bract basically appressed, muricate, oblong, oblanceolate, or spatulate, 30-47 x 25-33 mm, glabrous or pilose at tip, often marginally glandular-fimbriate, green at base becoming rose-red distally;  pedicel subterete, striate, 7-15 mm long and 2-3.2 mm diam., glabrous or pilose, often with scattered glandular fimbriae;  bracteoles oblong to linear-oblong, 4-6(-10) x 1-1.8 mm, marginally glandular-fimbriate.  Flowers with calyx 11-15 mm long;  hypanthium barrel-shaped or somewhat campanulate, 4-5 mm long, the base truncate and usually weakly puberulent, often bearing rather broad and flat glandular fimbriae, green to pink but drying dark brown to black;  limb cylindric, erect or slightly spreading, 7-9.5 mm long, glabrous, reddish to translucent pink but drying light brown;  lobes oblong to oblong-trianglular, 3.5-5.5 x 1.5-4 mm, erect, spreading, or reflexed after anthesis, usually ciliate, marginally glandular-fimbriate;  sinuses obtuse, ciliate;  corolla cylindric, (24-)26-33 mm long and 7-11 mm diam., glabrous or weakly puberulent in distal 1/3, white with a red band in distal 1/4 at anthesis becoming totally red after anthesis, the lobes oblong-triangular, obtuse, 1-2 mm long;  stamen 21-24 mm long;  filaments usually distinct but rarely slightly coherent in lower half, weakly pilose dorsally, the short ones also ventrally, alternately 3-4.5 mm and 7-9.5 mm long;  anthers alternately 19-21.5 mm and 14.5-18.5 mm long;  thecae 5-10 mm long;  style 25-35 mm long.  Berry 11-12 mm diam.

    Distribution (Map).  Colombia and Ecuador;  primary forest, cloud forest, forest edge and subpáramo thickets at 1400-3200 m altitude.

    Uses:  Cultivated at ABG, NCSC, NY.