Epiphytic shrub, sometimes lianoid, with
branches to 3 m long; stem terete, glabrous, bark cracking longitudinally,
grayish; twigs subterete, complanate, bluntly angled, minutely white-puberulent.
Leaves coriaceous to subcoriaceous, elliptic, elliptic-oblong to narrowly
ovate-lanceolate, (3-)4-6(-10) x (0.7-)1-2.5 cm, base narrowing, rounded
or truncate to cordate, apex long-acuminate, acute or blunt, margin flat
or usually incurved, sometimes strongly revolute, short-pilose or pale
puberulent then glabrate, with few tiny scattered glandular fimbriae on
both surfaces; lamina at base beneath on both sides of midrib provided
with an oval or circular, reddish, impressed gland to ca. 0.6 mm diam.;
3-5(-7)-plinerved from near base, midrib strongly impressed above and raised
beneath, lateral nerves and reticulate veinlets conspicuously raised or
slightly impressed on both surfaces; petiole terete or somewhat flattened
above, rugose, 1.8-5 mm long, glabrous or weakly puberulent. Inflorescence
axillary, racemose, 5-12-flowered, surrounded by few, lanceolate, sparsely
puberulent bracts, 3-5 mm long; rachis complanate, thin, bluntly
angled, 5-11 cm long, densely white-puberulent; floral bract membranous,
lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, 3-5 mm long, ciliolate;
pedicel subterete, ribbed, 6-12 mm long, puberulent, sometimes glandular-fimbriate
apically; bracteoles located below middle of pedicel, opposite to
subopposite, similar to floral bract, but 1.5-2.3 mm long. Flowers
with calyx sparsely puberulent to glabrous, 4-6 mm long; hypanthium
turbinate-campanulate, obconic, 5-winged opposite sinuses, 3-3.5 mm long,
sometimes bearing scattered glandular fimbriae; limb erect-spreading,
1.5-2 mm long; lobes triangular to elongate-deltate, 1.5-2.5 mm long,
the tip weakly ciliolate; sinuses acute; corolla ng-conical
in bud, cylindric-urceolate at anthesis, conspicuously winged opposite
the lobes, 7-9 mm long, greenish-yellow, the wings broadest near base (to
ca. 1 mm) narrowing distally, with scattered glandular fimbriae, the lobes
narrowly long-triangular, acuminate, 2-3 mm long, strongly recurved and
curled at anthesis exposing stamen; stamen alternately slightly unequal,
6.6-8 mm long; filaments distinct, 1-1.5 mm long, glabrous;
anthers alternately ca. 7.3 mm and 6.5-7.5 mm long, slightly prolonged
at base; thecae 1.5-2.5 mm long; tubules alternately 4.5-5.2
mm and 4.2-4.8 mm long, dehiscing by short, oblique clefts, 0.5-0.7 mm
long; style about as long as corolla, glabrous; nectariferous
disc annular, glabrous. Berry not seen.
Distribution. Ecuador and Peru; rainforest to premontane rain, wet, or moist forest at 800-2140 m altitude.
Cultivated at ABG, NCSC, NY.