Terrestrial shrub 1-2.5 m tall;  stem and twigs subterete, bluntly angled, densely white-pilose with unicellular hairs to 1.3 mm long.  Leaves  oblong, ovate, or elliptic, (4-)7-15 x (2.5-)3-7(-8) cm, coriaceous, apex acute or short-acuminate, rarely obtuse or rounded, base deeply cordate, auriculate with lobes well separated, amplexicaul, margin entire, upper surface short-pilose along veins proximally, lower surface short-pilose throughout;  pinnately nerved with 3-4 lateral nerves per side, these red when fresh, midrib and lateral nerves impressed above and raised beneath, veinlets raised on both surfaces;  petiole 2-5 mm long, terete, rugose, densely white-pilose.  Inflorescence solitary, axillary, racemose, ca. 15-20-flowered, nodding at anthesis but erect afterward;  rachis subterete, bluntly angled, 2-4(-5.5) cm long, densely silky-pilose;  floral bract membranous, lanceolate to oblanceolate, apically abruptly short-acuminate and somewhat mucronate, venation prominent, 40-70 x 20-35 mm, short-pilose, lower ones pale green to rose-red when fresh, upper ones rose-red;  pedicel subterete, 10-12 mm long and 4 mm diam., densely silky-pilose;  bracteoles located near or above middle of pedicel, basally imbricate, lanceolate, apically acute or acuminate, 30-45 mm long, short-pilose on both surfaces.  Flowers with calyx articulate, 11-14 mm long, pale green, densely short-pilose;  hypanthium subcylindrical, ca. 6-7 mm long, 10-costate;  limb campanulate, 5-7 mm long;  lobes broadly triangular, acute to acuminate, 2-3.5 mm long;  sinuses broadly rounded;  corolla cylindrical, terete, 41-45 mm long and ca. 8 mm diam., red, glabrous except short-pilose along lobes, the lobes narrowly triangular, long-acuminate, 12-16 mm long, dark purple within;  stamen 10, alternately slightly unequal, 39-42 mm long;  filaments about equal, distinct, 8.5-10 mm long, glabrous;  anthers alternately slightly unequal, 31-35 mm long;  thecae alternately slightly unequal, 11-15 mm long;  tubules distinct to base where papillate, about equal, longer than thecae,  20.5-21.5 mm long, appearing to arise from dorsal side of thecae, dehiscing by subterminal, oblique clefts 1-1.5 mm long;  nectariferous disc cupular, glabrous;  style exserted, ca. 46-49 mm long, glabrous.  Berry not seen.

    Distribution.  Endemic to Ecuador;  premontane moist to rainforest to montane cloud forest at 1100-3000 m altitude.