Shrub to 2.5 m tall;  bark fibrous, usually glandular-hispid, (also tomentose), reddish-orange to red or brown, glaucous;  twigs bluntly angled, densely glandular-hispid and tomentose, rusty-red or brownish-red.  Leaves coriaceous, longitudinally-curled, linear, 3.5-6 x 0.2-0.5 cm, base narrowly cuneate, apex acuminate, rarely mucronate, margin glandular-ciliate, midvein and base of the lamina tomentose and glandular-hispid, glabrate, both surfaces glabrous;  petiole flattened in cross-section, 1.3-2 mm long, not always distinguishable from the decurrent lamina, glabrous or glandular-hispid.  Inflorescence a terminal raceme, 7-15-flowered;  rachis 3-10.8 cm long and 1.2-2.2 mm in diam., glandular-hispid and tomentose;  pedicel 12-30 mm long and 0.5-1 mm in diam., densely tomentose and glandular-hispid;  bracteoles inserted along basal 1/2 of the pedicel, flat or usually slightly involute, linear or very narrowly ovate, 3.3-6.3 x 0.2-0.5 mm, base narrowly cuneate, apex narrowly acuminate, margin glandular-ciliate (also ciliolate), both surfaces tomentose;  floral bracts usually longitudinally-curled, linear, 15-50 x 0.5-3 mm, base narrowly cuneate, apex narrowly acuminate, margin glandular-hispid, the midveins and the base of lamina tomentose and glandular-hispid, glabrate, both surfaces glabrous.  Flowers 7-merous;  calyx 2.8-3.7 mm long;  tube 1.3-2.3 mm long and 2.3-3.5 mm diam., glandular-hispid, dark purple to black;  lobes ovate to widely ovate, apex acute or caudate, margin entire, dentate, ciliate or glandular-ciliate (ciliolate), 1.6-3.4 x 1.1-2.2 mm, the longest lobes 2.5-3.4 mm, abaxial surfaces glabrous (glandular-hispid);  corolla campanulate, dark purple, petals narrowly obovate, 16-24 x 2.6-4.2 mm, margin entire or distally crenate, glabrous;  stamens included, 19-26 mm long;  filaments glabrous;  anthers 1.4-2.6 mm long and ca. 1.2 mm broad, glabrous;  ovary glabrous;  style exserted, 29-37 mm long;  stigma 7-lobed.  Capsule depressed obovoid, 4.5-5.0 mm long and 5.8-7.2 mm in diam., dark brown to black, the exocarp separating from the valves;  seeds 0.8-1.0 mm long and 0.3-0.4 mm in diam.

    Distribution.  Endemic to Cuba, in the pinelands of Pinar de Río, at elevations of 200-250 m.  The species flowers from January to May (September), and bears fruit from March to July.