Terrestrial or epiphytic shrub to 4 m tall;  stem terete to subterete, bluntly angled, striate, nitid, glabrous;  twigs subterete, bluntly angled, striate, glabrous, but newly emerging twigs with deciduous, glandular-tipped hairs which leave reddish punctae on stem.  Leaves coriaceous, elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, 7.5-14 x 2.5-5(-6) cm, base narrowing and obtuse to rounded, apex shortly and abruptly to long-acuminate, margin entire, sometimes revolute, glabrous on both surfaces but provided with deciduous, minute, glandular fimbriae which leave reddish punctae;  3(-5)-plinerved from the base, midrib plane to slightly impressed above, raised beneath, lateral nerves slightly raised on both surfaces, prominent beneath, reticulate veinlets slightly raised on both surfaces, conspicuous above;  petiole subterete, rugose, 3-5 mm long, glabrous.  Inflorescence axillary, racemose, 7-17 -flowered;  rachis subterete, sharply angled, 3-6 cm long, the nodes conspicuously raised, pubescent especially at base with stout, spreading, glandular-tipped hairs to ca. 0.3 mm long;  floral bract caducous, not seen;  pedicel subterete, sharply angled, 10-26 mm long, with scattered glandular-tipped hairs along length as on rachis;  bracteoles caducous, nearly basal, oblong-ovate, acute, ca. 1 x 0.5 mm, marginally glandular-fimbriate.  Flowers with calyx ca. 4-5.5 mm long, weakly pubescent with stout, gland-tipped hairs especially on limb;  hypanthium cylindric, rugose, ca. 2-3 mm long and 4-6 mm diam., the base apophysate with the margin often undulate;  limb campanulate, ca. 2 mm long;  lobes broadly deltate, acute, ca. 0.75 mm long, marginally glandular-fimbriate;  sinuses broadly rounded;  corolla cylindric, gradually narrowing towards throat, 29-30 mm long and 10 mm basal diam., glabrous, red at base to lower 3/4 and white at tip, the lobes spreading and reflexed, short, deltate, bluntly acute, ca. mm long;  stamens alternately ca. 9 mm and 10 mm long;  filaments distinct, alternately ca. 5.5 mm and 7 mm long, puberulent in upper half;  anthers ca. 4 mm long;  thecae ca. 2 mm long;  tubules ca. 2 mm long;  style about as long as corolla, to 30 mm long, glabrous.  Mature berry not seen but at least spherical and 10 mm diam.

    Distribution.  Endemic to Ecuador;  remnants of primary forest, rocky, shrub-covered slopes to bosque premontane pluvial, at 1036-1650 m altitude.  Rare and endangered.