Terrestrial shrub to 2 m tall;  mature branches terete, striate, glabrous, reddish-brown;  twigs subterete, striate, densely pilose with white hairs 1-1.5 mm long or glabrate.  Leaves elliptic, lanceolate or somewhat ovate-lanceolate, (7-)9-12 x 1.5-4.5 cm, basally obtuse or broadly cuneate, apically caudate-acuminate, essentially glabrous above but densely appressed pilose with hairs to 0.8 mm long beneath;  3-5-plinerved with lateral nerves arising near base, midrib and lateral nerves impressed above and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets obscure;  petioles subterete, rugose, 5-7 mm long and 2-3 mm in diam., densely appressed pilose as leaves.  Inflorescence 3-5-flowered;  rachis subterete with the nodes overlapping, glabrous, ca. 1-2 cm long and 4 mm diam;  floral bracts subcoriaceous, oblong-elliptic but tightly involute around and concealing the pedicel, calyx and lower half of the corolla, 22-25 x ca. 15 mm, glabrous, pink to red when fresh;  pedicels terete, swollen distally, glabrous, ca. 3-4 mm long and in diam.;  bracteoles atttached at base of pedicel and completely concealing pedicel and calyx, subcoriaceous, appressed to flowers, oblong-elliptic, 15-18 x ca. 10 mm, apically rounded and slightly emarginate, marginally seemingly eglandular, glabrous.  Flowers:  calyx glabrous, 10-11 mm long, translucent green to whitish-green when fresh;  hypanthium cylindric, smooth, 4-5 mm long, basally truncate;  limb cylindric, 6-7 mm long;  lobes oblong, oblong-ovate, 3.8-4 x 2.5-3 mm, erect after anthesis, apically rounded and apiculate, marginally imbricate in basal half, distal half with thin, somewhat scarious-looking glandular border;  corolla tubular, glabrous, 18-19 mm long, rose-red basal 3/4 and white distal 1/4 when fresh, lobes triangular, ca. 1 mm long;  stamens slightly unequal, 15.5-16 mm long;  anthers alternately ca. 15 mm and 11-12 mm long;  thecae 6.5-7 mm long;  tubules dehiscing by clefts nearly the length of the tubule;  style 22 mm long.  Berry not seen.

    Distribution (Map).  Endemic to Colombia, and known only from the type collection, the plants of which were terrestrial along disturbed forest edge.  Rare and endangered.