Terrestrial or epiphytic shrub from lignotuber, somewhat scandent with branches to 1.5 m long;  stem terete, striate, the bark cracking longitudinally, glabrate;  twigs terete to subterete, sometimes sharply angled, striate white puberulent, glabrate;  bud scales inconspicuous, ovate to oblong, acuminate, ca. 2 mm long, short-pilose.  Leaves lanceolate or ovate-elliptic, 6-12 x 2-5.3 cm, base obtuse or rounded, apex broadly or abruptly and sharply acuminate, margin entire, not recurved, glabrous to short-pilose on both surfaces, persisting usually on midrib beneath;  3-5(-obscurely 7)-plinerved, the inner nerves arising ca. 1 cm above the base, midrib and lateral nerves slightly raised or impressed above, but raised beneath, reticulate veinlets raised or impressed above and raised beneath;  petiole subterete, rugulose, 2-6 mm long, puberulent, glabrate.  Inflorescence axillary, racemose, (2-)5-22-flowered;  rachis terete to subterete and sharply angled, rugulose, striate, 0.8-7 cm long, obscurely white puberulent to persistently short-pilose;  floral bract deltate, acute, 1.5-4 mm long, usually dorsally bearing a circular, concave,  black gland ca. 0.3-0.4 mm diam., puberulent dorsally, margin deciduously glandular-fimbriate with glands ca. 0.2 mm long;  pedicel terete to subterete, striate puberulent or short-pilose as rachis, 13-27(-35 mm in fruit) mm long;  bracteoles located midway along the pedicel, similar to floral bract.  Flowers with calyx 5-7 mm long and 7-9 mm diam. at apex, sparsely puberulent to persistently pilose;  hypanthium cylindric, terete, 2-3.5 mm long;  limb cylindric-spreading, 4-5 mm long;  lobes oblong-ovate, acuminate, 2-3.5 x 3 mm, usually each lobe dorsally bearing a circular, concave, black gland ca. 0.5 mm diam., margin appearing torn, ciliate, glandular-fimbriate;  sinuses acute or obtuse;  corolla fleshy, cylindric-urceolate, basally ventricose, 35-48 mm long and 8-17 mm diam. at base, red to crimson, glabrous at base and glabrous or short-pilose in distal half to short-pilose over entire length, the lobes subulate-lanceolate, 17-20 x 3 mm, dark blue-black, usually each lobe bearing along each margin near the base a circular, concave, black gland ca. 0.2-0.3 mm diam. (sometimes two per side, sometimes none);  stamen 10, alternately unequal, equalling the corolla, 33-44 mm long;  filaments distinct, 4-6(-8) mm long, glabrous or sparsely pilose within;  anthers 29-39 mm long;  thecae about equalling tubules, 12-19 mm long, the base obtuse and slightly incurved;  tubules 12-20 mm long, dehiscing by oblique pores 0.5-1 mm long;  style equalling corolla or slightly exserted;  nectariferous disc fleshy, annular-pulvinate, glabrous.  Young berry pilose, to 9 mm diam.

    Distribution.  Endemic to Ecuador and known only from six collections;  montane forest, at  1372-2460 m altitude.  Rare and endangered.