Terrestrial and epiphytic shrubs, mature branches terete to subterete, slightly angled, minutely striate, glabrous, reddish to grayish brown when dry;  immature branches and twigs of new growth subterete, ribbed, striate, densely short pilose or glabrous.  Leaves oblong to oblong elliptic, 5.5-10 x 2.5-4.5 cm, basally subcordate, apically obtuse, glabrous or with scattered, short trichomes along the base of the midrib and the lateral nerves, the margins of the young leaves often short pilose;  5-plinerved, the midrib and the lateral nerves strongly impressed proximally, plane to slightly elevated above distally, raised and conspicuous beneath and the leaves then bullate, the veinlets raised and conspicuous above, slightly raised but obscure beneath;  petioles subterete, bluntly angled, rugose, 4-6 mm long and 1.5-2 mm diam., densely puberulent becoming glabrous.  Inflorescence 26-28-flowered with the lowest few (up to 5) nodes sterile, encircled at the base by puberulent, ovate, apiculate, bracts;  rachis bluntly angled, striate, densely short pilose, 8.5-9.5 cm long and 2-2.5 mm diam.;  floral bracts prominently striate on both the surfaces with conspicuous midrib, lanceolate, (14.5-)18.5-23 x 6-9 mm, basally cuneate and strongly concave, apically long acuminate, marginally glandular fimbriate, densely short hirsute on both the surfaces with white trichomes 0.2-0.4 mm long, pink (according to label data);  pedicels subterete, 1-2.5 mm long and 0.5-1 mm diam., short white pilose;  bracteoles lanceolate, apically long-acuminate, striate, (8-)13-16 x 3.5-4.5(-6.5) mm, marginally glandular fimbriate, densely short-pilose as the floral bract, clasping the base of the calyx, slightly spreading distally.  Flowers with the calyx 7-9.5 mm long, abruptly widened at the junction of the hypanthium and limb, short-pilose from the base of the hypanthium to the tip of the lobes;  hypanthium smooth, subglobose, slightly rugose, basally rounded, 2-2.5 mm long;  limb cylindric to slightly spreading, conspicuously striate as the lobes, 5.5-7 mm long including the lobes;  lobes long-triangular, 2-4 x 2-2.5 mm, erect after anthesis, marginally scarious and eglandular, pubescent within;  sinuses obtuse;  corolla bluntly 5-angled opposite the calyx sinus, densely short-pilose without, glabrous within and at the base where surrounded by calyx limb, ca. 11.5 mm long and 3-3.5 mm diam., with scattered, short, red, clavate fimbriae on the surface, the lobes obtuse, erect;  stamens alternately 8-8.5 mm and 8.5-9 mm long;  filaments weakly short-pubescent distally, alternately 2-2.5 mm and 3.5-4 mm long;  anthers alternately either 6-6.2 mm or 6.5-7 mm long;  thecae 2-2.5 mm long;  style 9.5-10.5 mm long.  Berry not seen.

    Distribution (Map).  Endemic to E Darién Prov., Panama and adjacent Chocó Dept., Colombia, at 100-950 m elevation.  Early fruit was collected in April. Rare and endangered.