Epiphytic shrub with branches to 1 m long;  stem terete, smooth, glabrous or densely puberulent;  twigs subterete, weakly striate, puberulent.  Leaves oblong, elliptic, or ovate-elliptic, (4-)5-15 x (1.5-)2-5 cm, base rounded or cuneate, apex caudate-acuminate, puberulent along major veins above;  pinnately nerved or weakly plinerved, the 3-5 lateral nerves arising from below middle at angles of 10-30 from  midrib, the midrib thickened through proximal half and raised on both surfaces, lateral nerves impressed above and conspicuously raised beneath, reticulate veinlets slightly raised on both surfaces;  petiole terete, rugose 2-5 mm long and 1-1.5 mm diam., puberulent.  Inflorescence 9-13-flowered, rachis subterete, bluntly angled, glabrous, (3-)5-9 cm long and 2-2.5 mm diam.;  floral bract elliptic-oblong or oblanceolate, slightly cucullate, 12-15 x 7-10 mm, glabrous, purple;  pedicel terete, glabrous, 8-10 mm long and ca. 1 mm diam., reddish-purple, provided at distal tip (articulation with calyx) with angular or oblong greenish-colored glands 0.1-0.3 mm diam. which secrete a white sticky latex;  bracteoles nearly basal to located midway along pedicel, persistent, coriaceous, ovate, 0.5-2 mm long, glabrous, purple, glandular-callose totally or distally and along margins.  Flowers with calyx glabrous, 5-7 mm long, reddish-purple;  hypanthium subcylindric or campanulate, ca. 2 mm long, base strongly apophysate, the apophysis margin entire and directed upwards at anthesis or undulate;  limb erecto-patent, 3-6 mm long;  lobes triangular, acute, 1.2-2 mm long, erect after anthesis, glandular-callose only in the distal 2/3 or over entire surface and slightly onto limb;  sinuses broadly rounded to nearly flat;  corolla cylindric but becoming swollen distally then abruptly constricting into the short throat and lobes, glabrous, ca. 15 mm long and ca. 6 mm diam., white, the lobes deltate, obtuse, purple;  stamen 11-11.5 mm long;  filaments lightly puberulent distally on ventral surface, alternately 2-2.5 mm and 4-5 mm long;  anthers alternately ca. 10.3 mm and 7.3 mm long;  thecae slightly granular 2.5-3 mm long;  style ca. 13-15 mm long.  Mature berry not seen.

    Distribution (Map).  S Colombia and N Ecuador;  perhumid forest to premontane rainforest at (50-)900-1000 m altitude.  Rare and endangered.