Erect shrub (0.2-)0.5-4 m tall;  mature stems subterete, glabrate;  bark reddish- to yellowish-brown, cracking in longitudinal strips;  twigs subterete, densely floccose-tomentose with canescent to ferruginous, eglandular hairs, 1-2 mm long;  buds ovate, complanate, scales reddish-brown, striate, glabrous but ciliolate.  Leaves coriaceous, ovate to ovate-elliptic, (1.2-)2.5-5(-7.5) x 0.6-1.4(-2.4) cm, length/width ratio 3-5:1, base obtuse to narrowly rounded or cuneate, apex long-acuminate to acute and bluntly short-mucronate, margin entire but slightly revolute, glabrous or glabrate to sparsely floccose-tomentose above along main veins when mature, persistently floccose-tomentose beneath with canescent, brownish, or ferruginous, eglandular hairs;  midrib, lateral nerves (4-6 per side), and reticulate veinlets impressed and conspicuous above, raised but mostly obscure beneath;  petiole subterete, slightly canaliculate above, (2-)3-4 mm long, floccose-tomentose, glabrate.  Inflorescence racemose, (4-)7-12-flowered, all exterior parts including rachis, pedicels, bracts, bracteoles, calyces, and corollas obscured by persistently lanate-villose to floccose-tomentose, canescent to ferruginous, eglandular hairs, basal inflorescence bracts ovate, striate, to 4 mm long;  rachis subterete (2.5-)3.5-6(-8) cm long;  pedicels 3-4(-6) mm long;  bracteoles basal or within one-third of base, aristate to linear, ca. 2(-6) mm long, sometimes glabrate; floral bracts keeled, striate, ovate, 4-6(-10) x 2-2.5 mm, acuminate (glabrate). Flowers with calyx 3-5 mm long, lobes ovate, 1.5-3 x 1.5-2 mm, acute, glabrous within;  corolla cylindric-urceolate, ca. 4-7 x 3-4(-5) mm, glabrous within, pink to rose-red at base with ferruginous indumentum, lobes oblong-ovate, obtuse; stamens 3-4.5 mm long, apparently alternately unequal;  filaments 2.3-3.6 mm long, sparsely short-pilose to densely tomentose at apex;  anther ca. 1.2 mm long, awns conspicuous;  style 3-4 mm long, glabrous.  Fruiting calyx globose, 6-10 mm diam., sparsely tomentose, blue-black.  Chromosome number: n=11, 2n=22 (Luteyn & Cotton 11406).

     Distribution (Map).  Central Ecuador to southern Peru where the plants inhabit dwarf and cloud forest, wooded slopes, páramo thickets, matorales, and disturbed forest and roadside slopes at elevations of (2450-)2700-3400 m.  Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

     Common names and uses.  Ecuador:  duraznillo (Azuay and Cañar).  Peru: shamsque (Amazonas);  laurel (Junín). According to Prieto P-101 (Ecuador) the fruit is "sweet pulpy" and is eaten by small children.