Terrestrial shrub to 2 m tall;  mature branches terete, glabrate, orangish-brown;  twigs terete, muricate, hirsute with hairs 1.5-2 mm long, glaucous.  Leaves elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 6-10 x 2.5-5 cm, basally rounded, apically abruptly short caudate-acuminate, margin somewhat revolute, glabrous above but densely strigose beneath;  3(-5)-plinerved from base, midrib and lateral nerves impressed above and raised but inconspicuous beneath, reticulate veinlets impressed and inconspicuous above and obscure beneath;  petioles terete, rugose, hirsute, 4-5 mm long and 1.5-2.5 mm in diam.  Inflorescence ca. 20-25-flowered, encircled at base by numerous oblong to obovate bracts 30-55 x 20-40 mm;  rachis terete, somewhat fusiform, glabrous, 2-2.5 cm long and 4.5-5 mm in diam. in midportion (ca. 3 mm in basal diam.);  floral bracts oblong to oblong-obovate, 50-55 x 23-26 mm, basally truncate, apically rounded, glabrous, bright glossy orangish-red when fresh;  pedicels subterete, striate, glabrous, 14-15 mm long and 3.5-4 mm in diam., provided with few short-stipitate to sessile spherical glands 0.1 mm in diam. at distal tip; bracteoles oblong, obtuse, somewhat cucullate, ca. 3 x 1.5 mm, glabrous but marginally provided on each side with several subspherical or oblong callose, sessile glands to 0.75 mm long.  Flowers:  calyx glabrous, ca. 7 mm long, greenish-white when fresh;  hypanthium subcylindric, rugose, coarsely 10-ribbed, 4-4.5 mm long, basally apophysate;  limb campanulate, rugose, 2.5-3 mm long;  lobes triangular, acute, 1-1.5 x 3 mm, marginally with an oblong, callose gland ca. 1.5 mm long along each side but these not contiguous at tip;  sinuses rounded;  corolla cylindric but abruptly and sharply constricted at throat, glabrous, 38 mm long and 9 m in diam. (ca. 4.5 mm in diam. at throat), when fresh the lower half white grading through a very dark purple in upper half with throat white, lobes deltoid obtuse spreading at anthesis, 1 x 3 mm, white with purple margins when fresh;  stamens 34-35 mm long;  filaments with the shorter one densely short-pilose along inner surface of distal half, the longer one moderately pilose on the medial inner surface, alternately 3.5-4 mm and 9.5-10 mm long;  anthers alternately ca. 33 mm and 25-27 mm long;  thecae alternately ca. 16 mm and 12.5 mm long;  tubules golden-yellow tinged with purple when fresh;  style 37 mm long.  Berry not seen.

    Distribution (Map).  Endemic to Colombia and known only from the type collection, which was growing in a disturbed cloud forest along steep slopes.  Rare and endangered.