Epiphytic or terrestrial shrub, with branches to 2 m long.  Leaves coriaceous, elliptic, ovate, or lance-elliptic, 10-17 x 4-9 cm, base rounded or slightly subcordate, apex long- or short-acuminate, ± nitid or dull on both surfaces, glabrous;  5(-7)-plinerved with inner pair of lateral nerves arising from 0.7-2 cm above base, midrib thickened and raised through proximal 0.7-2.5 cm otherwise impressed above, lateral nerves impressed above and with midrib raised beneath, reticulate veinlets slightly raised on both surfaces;  petiole 7-9 mm long, glabrous.  Inflorescence subcapitate, congested, 5-15-flowered;  rachis glabrous, 1-2.5 cm long;  inflorescence-subtending and floral bracts erect and ascending-appressed, subcoriaceous, smooth, ovate to oblong, 15-30 x 14-20 mm, apex rounded, margin scarious, glabrous, red;  pedicel 2.5-7 mm long (extending to 11 mm), glabrous or short-pilose;  bracteoles basal, sometimes appressed to calyx on short-pedicelled specimens, oblong-elliptic, rounded, 4-6 x 1.5-4 mm, margin scarious and glandular-fimbriate.  Flowers with calyx 8-10.5 mm long, glabrous or short-pilose;  hypanthium cylindric, muricate, ca. 2-5 mm long, base truncate;  limb cylindric, muricate, 4-7 mm long;  lobes imbricate at base only to over entire length, oblong-elliptic, rounded, 4-7 x 2-5 mm, margin densely to sparsely glandular-fimbriate, erect and curling around base of style after anthesis;  sinuses none;  corolla bottle-shaped, 12-16(-25) mm long, glabrous, completely white or red with white apex, the lobes deltate, obtuse, ca. 0.8-1 mm long;  stamen ca. 11 m long;  filaments alternately 1-2 mm and 2.5-3.5 mm long, weakly ciliate;  anthers alternately 10.5-11 mm and 9-10 mm long;  thecae 3.5-5 mm long;  style ca. 13(-23) mm long.  Berry not seen.

    Distribution (Map).  Endemic to Ecuador;  cloud forest and forest edge at 900-2800 m altitude.  Rare and endangered.