Epiphyte or terrestrial shrub to 3 m tall;  mature stems subterete, striate, glabrous, reddish-brown;  bark thin and reticulately exfoliating into strips;  twigs terete or bluntly angled, densely cinereous puberulent, reddish-brown.  Leaves ovate, oblong-ovate, or elliptic, (2-)3.5-5(-6) x (1-)1.5-2.5(-3) cm, basally rounded often subcordate, apically sharply short-acuminate, sparsely short-pilose above (more apparent towards base) and glabrous beneath;  weakly 3-5-plinerved often appearing pinnate, midvein often conspicuously thickened and raised through proximal 1/3 otherwise impressed above, lateral nerves often much thinner than midvein, slightly but conspicuously raised at base becoming plane or slightly impressed distally above, all veins raised beneath;  petioles terete, somewhat rugose, 2-3 mm long and 1.2-1.5 mm in diam., densely cinereous puberulent becoming glabrate.  Inflorescence paniculate, 20-100-flowered;  rachis and lateral branches subterete, striate, glabrous, the primary axis 5-10 cm long and 1 mm in diam., the lateral branches 1.5-5 cm long and 0.75 mm in diam.;  floral bracts caducous, clasping, somewhat cucullate, ovate to oblong-ovate, ca. 7 x 4.5 mm, basally truncate and auriculate, apically rounded, ciliate, marginally and dorsally glandular-fimbriate, glabrous, translucent white but tinged with green when fresh;  pedicels terete, striate, 6-8 mm long at anthesis and ca. 0.2-0.3 mm in diam.;  bracteoles basal, oblong to ovate, 0.75 mm long, apically obtuse, ciliate, marginally glandular-fimbriate becoming especially dense near distal tip.  Flowers:  calyx glabrous, 1.5 mm long, greenish-white when fresh;  hypanthium pentagonal, ca. 1 mm long and in diam., basally truncate and slightly apophysate;  limb eret, ca. 0.5 mm long;  lobes triangular to slightly ovate, acute, ca. 0.5 mm long, connivent after anthesis, with an oblong somewhat thickened, translucent gland on each side but not covering the tip;  sinuses acute;  corolla tubular with greatest diam. about the middle, glabrous, ca. 6 mm long and 5 mm in diam., white when fresh, lobes triangular, completely reflexed at anthesis, ca. 1.5 mm long;  stamens 3-3.3 mm long;  filaments densely and coarsely short-pilose ventrally, alternately 1.2-1.4 mm and ca. 1.5 mm, the longer ones narrowly constricted distally;  anthers alternately ca. 2.2 mm and 2 mm long, the longer ones straight at the base, the shorter ones curved inward;  thecae 0.7-0.8 mm long;  tubules dehiscent over their entire length;  style 3.5 mm long.  Berry ca. 5-6 mm diam.

    Distribution (Map).  Endemic to Colombia, to the Chocó/Valle Dept. border of the Cordillera Occidental along the Ansermanuevo-San José del Palmar road, in disturbed cloud forest and along the steep roadcut slopes, at elevations of 1200-2000 m.  Rare and endangered.