Shrub or small tree to ca. 7 m tall, slightly rhizomatous; twigs glabrous to moderately pubescent, with nonchambered to obscurely chambered pith; buds to ca. 1 mm long, leaves revolute.  Leaves coriaceous, ovate, 2-7.5 x 0.9-3.2 cm, base cuneate to rounded and often slightly asymmetric, apex acuminate, margin entire and minutely undulate to smooth, ± plane to very slightly revolute at extreme base, adaxial surface glabrous or with a very few hairs, especially near margin, but very sparsely to moderately pubescent on midvein, abaxial surface glabrous, but very sparsely to moderately pubescent along midvein, with inconspicuous to conspicuous glandular dots along midvein; petiole (3.5-)5-17 mm long, slender and often flexuous.  Inflorescences axillary racemes to 1-4 cm long; rachis moderately pubescent with ± whitish hairs; pedicels 4-9 mm long, sparsely to moderately pubescent; bracteoles 2, opposite to alternate, from basal to within lower 1/3 of pedicel, narrowly triangular to linear (ovate), to ca. 1.7(-8) mm long; floral bracts to ca. 1.5 mm long.  Flowers with triangular calyx lobes, with acuminate apices, 0.9-2 x 0.5-1.7 mm, abaxial surface glabrous to moderately pubescent; corolla cylindrical, white, 6-11 x 2-5 mm, glabrous; filaments 3.5-7 mm long; anthers 1-1.2 mm long; ovary glabrous to moderately pubescent, especially near apex.  Capsules subglobose to ovoid, 3-4.5 x 4.3-7 mm, placentae subapical; seeds 1.4-2.6 mm long.

    Distribution.  Bolivia and NW Argentina (see Legname, 1978; Cabrera, 1983), in mountainous areas, at ca. 1200-2500 m alt.  Flowering September through November.