Terrestrial or epiphytic shrub with few branches, 2-4 m tall;  stem terete to subterete, sometimes bluntly angled, smooth or striate, nitid, glabrous;  bark cracking longitudinally;  twigs terete to subterete, bluntly angled or ribbed, striate, glabrous to moderately short-pilose.  Leaves coriaceous, amplexicaul, ovate-elliptic, (3-)8-17(-20) x (1.5-)3-7 cm, base rounded, cordate, the auricles usually imbricate, apex short- to long-acuminate, essentially glabrous above or short-hispid along nerves, short-hispidulous beneath especially along nerves with whitish hairs to 0.6 mm long;  5-7(-9)-plinerved, the inner pair lateral nerves arising up to 5 cm above the base, midrib conspicuously thickened and raised proximal 1-5 cm then impressed distally above, conspicuously raised beneath, lateral nerves impressed above in proximal half then plane distally, conspicuously raised beneath, reticulate veinlets inconspicuous, plane to slightly raised above and plane to weakly raised beneath;  petiole subterete, ± flattened above, rugose, 2-6 mm long, glabrous to densely short-pilose.  Inflorescence axillary, racemose, to 25-flowered;  rachis subterete, bluntly to sharply angled, (3-)5-13 cm long, glabrous to puberulent or densely short-pilose;  floral bract caducous, narrowly triangular to broadly deltate, long-acuminate to obtuse, (2-)5-8 x to ca. 2 mm;  pedicel subterete, striate, sharply ribbed, 21-36 mm long, glabrous or puberulent to sparsely or densely short-pilose, also sometimes glandular-fimbriate at apex;  bracteoles located below middle of pedicel, triangular, long-acuminate, 3-10 x 1.3-2 mm, marginally glandular-fimbriate and ciliolate, glabrous to densely short-pilose.  Flowers with calyx articulate, 7-10(-14) mm long, glabrous to puberulent or densely short-pilose;  hypanthium obconic, basally truncate, rugose, very coarsely, broadly, and bluntly 10-costate with deep furrows between the ribs, 3.5-5(-6) mm long;  limb spreading, 3.5-5(-8) mm long;  lobes erect to reflexed, triangular to ovate-triangular, long-acuminate, 3-4(-7) mm long, eglandular or in glabrous plants each lobe usually bearing in middle of dorsal side 1(-2) circular, pustular, dark gland ca. 0.2 mm diam.;  sinuses acute to obtuse;  corolla cylindric, basally ventricose, 43-50 mm long and 12-14 mm basal diam., glabrous to puberulent or densely short-pilose, sometimes also with scattered glandular fimbriae, bright red, the lobes long-triangular, acute, spreading, 14-25 mm long;  stamen 10, alternately slightly unequal, 40-44 mm long;  filaments equal, distinct, 5-9 mm long, glabrous;  anthers alternately slightly unequal, 35-42 mm long;  thecae alternately slightly unequal, 16-24 mm long;  tubules distinct or sometimes fused in proxmial ca. 2 mm, alternately slightly unequal, usually slightly longer than thecae, papillate in proximal ca. 2-3 mm, 15-25 mm long, dehiscing by oblique pores ca. 1 mm long;  style usually exserted, 40-53 mm long, glabrous.  Berry dark blue-black.

    Distribution.  Southern Colombia and Ecuador;  rainforest (Colombia) and premontane rainforest, to montane cloud forest at (600-)1330-3048 m altitude.