Erect, multi-stemmed shrubs, to 2 m tall;  bark exfoliating in irregular plates;  young twigs densely hirsute with stalked, swollen-headed glandular hairs interspersed with shorter, uniseriate, eglandular, hyaline hairs.  Leaves congested at stem tips, coriaceous, narrowly ovate, narrowly elliptic, elliptic, or narrowly obovate, plane to slightly revolute, 4.3-11.5 x 1.4-4.2 cm, basally tapering and cuneate or narrowly cuneate, apically acute to obtuse, often mucronate, marginally entire, often with a few scattered teeth near the apex, upper surface bright to dark green, sparingly pubescent with scattered uni- and biseriate hyaline hairs and uniseriate-stalked, swollen-headed, glandular hairs, the hairs persisting on older leaves along midribs, margins, and towards the base, lower surface pale white to gray, densely lanate with uniseriate hairs and scattered uni- and biseriate-stalked, swollen-headed, glandular hairs, the glands red;  petioles short, 0.5-1.1 mm long, densely glandular hirsute as with young stems.  Inflorescences paniculate, loosely and much-branched, 10-20 cm long;  rachis, pedicels, bracts, bracteoles, and calyx densely glandular hirsute with stalked, swollen-headed, glandular hairs, the glands red, imparting a reddish color to the entire inflorescence;  floral bracts narrowly ovate, 8-23 x 1.5-4 mm, ciliate;  pedicels 8-16 mm long;  bracteoles 4.5-8 mm long, ciliate.  Flowers:  calyx lobes triangular, 1.7-2.1 x 1-2.2 mm, acuminate, ciliate;  corollas urceolate, 5.2-7.1 x 3.5-6 mm, outer surface sparingly pubescent with scattered, short, uniseriate, hyaline hairs, inner surface more densely pubescent distally with similar hairs, red, the lobes reflexed, 0.7-1.6 x 1-1.5 mm;  stamens 2-4 mm long;  filaments dilated at the base, 1.8-3.5 mm long, glabrous or nearly so;  anthers 1-2.2 x 0.5-1.1 mm, the spurs 0.4-1 mm long;  ovary glabrous or pubescent with hyaline trichomes;  style 3.5-4.1 mm long, glabrous.  Fruit drupaceous, 3.5-4.5 mm in diam. (immature);  seeds not seen.

    Distribution.  Endemic to Mexico, and restricted to a narrow zone of humid pine-oak forest near Gómez Farías (Tamaulipas).  Flowering specimens have been collected in May, Jun, and Aug;  immature fruit in Jun and Aug.