Epiphyte or terrestrial shrub with stems to 2 m long, totally glabrous (except filaments of stamens);  branches terete or subterete and complanate, striate, reddish-brown.  Leaves elliptic or oblong-elliptic, 7-15 x 2.5-4.5(-5.5) cm, basally rounded or obtuse, apically long-acuminate or somewhat caudate-cauminate (acumen then 1.5-2 cm long);  (3-)5-7(-9)-plinerved from base with midrib, lateral nerves, and reticaulate veinlets impressed above and raised beneath;  petioles terete, rugose, 5-8 mm long and 1-2 mm in diam.  Inflorescence ca. 20-flowered, the flowers restricted to distal 1/4 of inflorescence;  rachis subterete, 4-5 cm long and 2.5 mm in basal diam. becoming ca. 4-5 m in diam. distally;  floral bracts: those of proximal 3/4 of inflorescence subcoriaceous, striate, caducous so that at anthesis inflorescence appears pedunculate, oblong-lanceolate, to 25 x 10 mm, apically obtuse or subacute, the next few distal bracts subtending sterile nodes and widespreading to reflexed, those of distal 1/4 of inflorescence subtending flowers, subcoriaceous, striate, appressed, oblong, 35 x 15 mm, apically rounded or obtuse, glandular-fimbriate near midrib;  pedicels obconic, ca. 2 mm long;  bracteoles located at distal tip of pedicel, similar to distal floral bracts but ca. 30 x 10 mm.  Flowers:  calyx ca. 8.5 mm long, white when fresh;  hypanthium campanulate, ca. 3.5 mm long, truncate basally;  limb spreading, striate, ca. 5 mm long;  lobes triangular, ca. 3 mm long, eglandular;  sinuses obtuse;  corolla tubular but tapering distally, ca. 34 mm long and 8 mm in diam., lobes triangular, ca. 1 mm long;  stamens alternately ca. 14.2 mm and 15.8 mm long;  filaments connate into a tube ca. 4 mm long, individual filaments alternately ca. 4 mm and 5.7 mm long, the long ones basally ca. 1.1 mm broad tapering distally to 0.3-0.4 mm and short-hirtellous medially, the short ones ca. 1.1 mm broad throughout the length and short-hirtellous distally;  anthers alternately ca. 10.5 mm and 9.3 mm long;  thecae granular, rigid, ca. 3.5 mm long;  tubules dehiscing by clefts 3-4.5 mm long;  style ca. 33.5 mm long.  Berry not seen.

    Distribution (Map).  Endemic to Colombia, to the western slopes of the Cordillera Occidental from S Chocó Dept. south to Cauca Dept., in cloud forest or thickets along disturbed roadside slopes, at elevations of 600-1975 m.  Flowering specimens have only been collected in April.  Rare and endangered.