Evergreen, rhizomatous shrub to 3(-5) m tall, usually from underground woody burl or swelling, spreading vegetatively by horizontal underground rhizomes, with longitudinally furrowed bark; twigs slightly to moderately angled, slender, ± sparsely lepidote, otherwise very sparsely to densely pubescent; buds ovoid, 1-2 x ca. 1 mm.  Leaf blades elliptic to ovate or obovate, 1-6.7 x 0.5-3.5 cm, sometimes quite strongly reduced in size toward branch tips, ± flat to very slightly recurved to concave, coriaceous, ca. 0.17-0.26 mm thick; base attenuate, narrowly to broadly cuneate (rounded); apex acuminate, acute to rounded; margin usually plane or very slightly revolute, apical portion entire (very obscurely and irregularly toothed), basal portion entire; venation brochidodromous, 3o veins ± reticulate; adaxial surface lepidote but scales quickly deciduous; slightly to densely pubescent on midvein, especially basal portion, the midvein usually not depressed, the 2o veins visible to obscure, usually not depressed, the 3o and higher order veins slightly visible to obscure; abaxial surface moderately to densely lepidote, otherwise usually glabrous (with a few hairs on midvein, or very sparsely to densely pubescent throughout), the 3o and higher order veins flat or nearly os, very slightly and laxly reticulate to obscure, the 2o veins visible to obscure; scales rust colored to dark orange or brownish, sometimes becoming whitish with age, ± persistent, ca. 0.08-0.25 mm in diameter, erose to entire; petiole 2-9 mm long, lepidote, otherwise  pubescent adaxially to occasionally all around; flower buds ± intermixed with vegetative buds.  Inflorescences fasciculate, 2- to 10-flowered; pedicels clearly articulated with calyx, slender, 4-14 mm long, lepidote, otherwise glabrous to sparsely pubescent; bracteoles subopposite, basal or nearly so, narrowly triangular, 0.7-1.5 mm long; floral bracts to ca. 2 mm long.  Flowers (4-)5-(-6)-merous; calyx lobes triangular, with acuminate apices, 1-2 x 0.5-1.8 mm, adaxial side sparsely to moderately pubescent, especially near apex or margins, abaxial side lepidote, otherwise glabrous or very sparsely pubescent near base; corolla urceolate, white, 2.5-5 x 2.5-4.5 mm, abaxially sparsely lepidote; filaments roughened, 1.3-2.5 mm long, unappendaged or with pair of minute spurs near anther-filament junction; anthers 0.7-1.3 mm long; ovary lepidote, otherwise pubescent, placentae ± subapical.  Capsules usually subglobose to short-ovoid, 2.5-4(-5) x 2.5-4.5 mm, sparsely lepidote, otherwise usually sparsely pubescent, especially near base, the pale, very thick sutures separating as unit from adjacent valves (with additional pale lines alternating with and resembling sutures); seeds 1-2 mm long.

    Distribution.  Endemic to Mexico (E Sierra Madre from Nuevo León southeast to Veracruz, Puebla, Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Guerrero), in temperate montane regions, mostly at 1000-2400 m elev.  Flowering throughout year but especially March through June.