Arching, terrestrial shrub to 3 m tall, glabrous (except filaments);  mature branches terete, smooth, reddish-brown;  twigs subterete, complanate and bluntly angled, striate, reddish-brown.  Leaves slightly bullate, brittle when fresh, elliptic, obovate to oblong, or the distal ones ovate, (2.8-)6-13 x (2-)3-6 cm, basally slightly narrowed and rounded or obtuse, apically broadly rounded or obtuse, rarely bluntly cuspidate;  3-5(-7)-plinerved from near base, midrib conspicuously thickened and raised through proximal 1 cm, otherwise impressed above and prominently raised below, lateral nerves impressed above and prominently raised beneath, veinlets weakly impressed above and obscure beneath, proximal portions of veins red when fresh;  petiole subterete, flattened adaxially, coarsely rugose, (2-)6-8 mm long and 3-4 mm diam., red when fresh.  Inflorescence nodding, globose, 15-20-flowered;  rachis coarsely subterete, bluntly angled, conspicuously thickened at each node, ca. 4 cm long and 4-5 mm diam. at anthesis, becoming 14 mm diam. in fruit;  floral bracts erect and appressed, at anthesis covering all but distal 1/4 of corolla, obovate, 30-35 x 15-20 mm, red when fresh, apically rounded, marginally scarious, dorsally covered with short-stipitate, spherical-headed glandular fimbriae which are bright yellow when fresh and slightly sunken into bract surface;  pedicels terete, striate, 10-14 mm long and 1.2-1.7 m diam. at anthesis, becoming 5 mm diam. in fruit;  bracteoles oblong or lanceolate, 2.5-3 x 0.8 mm, marginally with 4-6 short-stipitate, spherical-headed glandular fimbriae.  Flowers:  calyx 6-7 mm long, rose-red when fresh, sparsely provided with subsessile, spherical-headed glandular fimbriae which are bright yellow when fresh;  hypanthium subcylindric, bluntly 5-10-ribbed, 2.5-3 mm long, basally swollen and apophysate, the apophysis slightly flaring when dry;  limb erecto-patent or campanulate, 3.5-4.5 mm long;  lobes deltoid-triangular, 1.5-2 mm long, tardily connivent after anthesis, margins provided with sessile to subsessile, spherical to somewhat oblong glands these sometimes fusing laterally towards lobe tips;  sinuses rounded or obtuse;  corolla cylindric, 20-25 mm long and 6-8 mm diam., lower 3/4 red and upper 1/4 white when fresh, lobes triangular, 1.5 mm long, white when fresh;  stamens 16.5-18 mm long;  filaments moderately pilose ventrally, alternately 4-4.5 mm and 6-7 mm long;  anthers alternately 14-15 mm and 12.5-13.5 mm;  thecae 7-7.5 mm long;  style subequal to corolla.  Immature berry ca. 16 mm diam.

    Distribution (Map).  Endemic to Colombia and known only from the type locality, where it was rooted in the rocky soil of a steep roadside slope, at 2160 m elevation. Rare and endangered.