Terrestrial or epiphytic shrub to 2 m, sometimes
subscandent, usually arising from a lignotuber; stem terete, glabrous;
twigs terete to subterete, striate, glabrous. Leaves coriaceous,
ovate, 5.5-10(-13.5) x 3-5(-8.5) cm, base rounded and deeply cordate, amplexicaul,
apex obtuse or acute, to short- or long-acuminate, the apex itself usually
subobtuse, margin entire, glabrous; pinnately nerved with 3-4 lateral
nerves per side, midrib thickened and raised in the proximal 1 cm then
slightly impressed above, raised beneath, lateral nerves weakly raised
or slightly impressed proximally then plane distally above, raised beneath
beneath, reticulate veinlets slightly raised above and almost obscure beneath;
petiole 2-3 mm long. Inflorescence axillary, flowers solitary or
in 1-5-flowered fascicles; floral bract ovate-deltate, acute to acuminate,
ca. 1-2 mm long, marginally glandular-fimbriate; pedicel subterete,
striate, 10-19 mm long, glabrous; bracteoles basal, similar to floral
bract. Flowers with calyx 7-10 mm long, glabrous; hypanthium
turbinate, strongly 5-winged, 5.5-7 mm long, the base truncate to oblique
with the wings extending slightly as lobes below articulation, the apex
of the wings usually not extending beyond the limb or lobes; limb
campanulate-spreading, 1.5-2.5 mm long; lobes apiculate, < 0.5
mm long; sinuses rounded or broadly flattened; corolla carnose,
cylindric to cylindric-urceolate, pentagonal, broadest at the base, 16-22
mm long and ca. 10 mm basal diam. when fresh, glabrous without but the
throat within whitened with short, tomentellous hairs, the lobes spreading
and reflexed, oblong-ovate, acute, ca. 2 mm long; stamen 12-13 mm
long; filaments connate into a tube, 2-3.5 mm long, glabrous;
anthers 10-11 mm long; thecae 5-6.5 mm long; tubules fused
into one, 4-4.5 mm long, dehiscing by a cleft 2-2.7 m long; style
equalling corolla or exserted. Immature berry 13-15 mm diam., white.
Distribution. Endemic to Ecuador; premontane to montane cloud forest at (250-) 1200-2430 m altitude.
Cultivated: ABG, E, NCSC, NY.