Terrestrial or epiphytic shrub with stems 1.5-2 m long;  mature branches terete, smooth, glabrous, flesh-colored to reddish-brown;  twigs terete or subterete and then bluntly angled, smooth or weakly striate, glabrous, usually with tiny (0.1-0.2 mm diam.) blackish spherical glands scattered along length.  Leaves elliptic, ovate-elliptic to lance-elliptic, 3.4-7.6 x 1.3-3.4 cm, basally cuneate, obtuse or short-attenuate, apically caudate-acuminate, sometimes abruptly, acumen 1.5-2.3 cm long, margin thin and narrowly revolute, glabrous beneath and often with spherical glands ca. 0.1 mm diam. on upper surface and margin;  3(-5)-plinerved from base or rarely inner pair of lateral nerves arising from 3-6 mm above base, midrib usually impressed above but rarely raised and thickened through proximal 3-6 mm, raised and conspicuous beneath, lateral nerves usually impressed proximally above becoming plane and obscure distally and usually obscure beneath, reticulate veinlets impressed or slightly raised but obscure above and inconspicuous beneath;  petioles terete, rugose, 3-7.5 mm long and 0.6-1 mm diam., glabrous but bearing spherical glands ca. 0.2 mm diam. along length.  Inflorescence 3-9-flowered, viscous, totally glabrous (filaments excepted);  rachis subterete, bluntly angled, 2.5-6 cm long and 1-1.4 mm in diam., with numerous scattered, globular glands to 0.2 mm diam.;  floral bracts persistent, subcoriaceous, veins reticulate and conspicuous, often somewhat striate, oblong to semiorbicular, 6-13 x 5-10 mm, basally auriculate somewhat clasping, apically rounded or acute, margins provided with globular glands 0.2-0.3 mm diam. these exuding a milky-white viscous latex, rose-red when fresh, bracts of lower 1/2 to 1/3 rachis sterile;  pedicels subterete, striate, 12-22 mm long, provided with numerous globular glands to 0.2 mm diam.;  bracteoles located at or just above middle of pedicel, persistent, semiorbicular to reniform 2-4 x 3-6 mm, basally imbricate, apically rounded, marginally with globular glands.  Flowers:  calyx 6-8 mm long;  hypanthium cylindric, bluntly 5-ribbed, 2-2.5 mm long and ca. 4 mm diam., basally apophysate and deeply undulate;  limb campanulate, 4-5.5 cm long and ca. 7 mm diam., at apex;  lobes triangular, 2-3.5 mm long, erect after anthesis, each side with a coarse, oblong callose gland which exudes a milky-white viscous latex, these contiguous at lobe tip or fusing for up to half their length;  sinuses rounded;  corolla cylindric, ca. 30-40 mm long, when fresh succulent and dark purple nearly black to dark wine-red, lobes oblong, 2-3 mm long;  stamens ca. 26.5-29.5 mm long;  filaments short-pilose along margins, alternately 2-3 mm and 6-8 mm long;  anthers alternately 27.5-30 mm and 21.5-23.5 mm long;  thecae alternately 6-8 mm and ca. 4.7 mm long;  style equaling corolla.  Berry not seen.

    Distribution (Map).  Endemic to Colombia, in the western slopes of the Cordillera Occidental in Cauca and Nariño Depts., in wet forest, at elevations of 100-2560 m.  Flowering material has been collected in December, February, April, and August.  Rare and endangered.