Evergreen shrub to 2 or 3 m tall, with gray, longitudinally furrowed bark; twigs moderately ridged, slender, moderately lepidote, otherwise sparsely to densely pubescent; buds ovoid, 0.6-1.5 x 0.6-1.2 mm.  Leaf blades elliptic to ovate or obovate, 2-6 x 0.9-2.5(-3) cm, ± flat, coriaceous, ca. 0.25-0.33 mm thick; base narrowly cuneate to rounded; apex acute, acuminate to rounded or truncate; margin plane to slightly revolute, apical portion entire to obscurely and irregularly toothed, basal portion entire; venation brochidodromous, 3o veins reticulate; adaxial surface lepidote but scales usually quickly deciduous, sparsely to densely pubescent on midvein, especially basal portion, the 3o and higher order veins faintly visible to obscure, the 2o veins obscure to slightly visible, not depressed; abaxial surface moderately lepidote, otherwise glabrous, occasionally very sparsely pubescent on extreme basal portion of midvein (but not on lamina surface), the 3o and higher order veins ± flat, slightly and laxly reticulate to obscure, the 2o veins obscure to slightly visible; scales ± rust colored, becoming whitish with age, deciduous to persistent, ca. 0.09-0.27 mm in diameter, entire to slightly erose; petiole 2.5-5 mm long, lepidote, otherwise pubescent adaxially or all around; flower buds ± intermixed with vegetative buds.  Inflorescences fasciculate, 3- to 15-flowered; pedicels clearly articulated with calyx, slender, 2.5-4.5 mm long, lepidote, otherwise glabrous to sparsely pubescent; bracteoles ± opposite, basal, narrowly triangular, 0.6-1.2 mm long; floral bracts to ca. 1.5 mm long.  Flowers 4-(-5)-merous; calyx lobes triangular, with acuminate apices, 0.8-1.2 x 0.5-0.8 mm, adaxial side lepidote, otherwise glabrous or sparsely pubescent, especially near apex; abaxial side lepidote, otherwise glaborus to very sparsely pubescent near base; corolla urceolate to cylindrical, white, 3-4.5 x 1.5-3 mm, abaxially sparsely lepidote; filaments roughened, 2-3.5 mm long, unappendaged or with minute spurs near anther-filament junction; anthers ca. 0.9 mm long; ovary lepidote, otherwise pubescent, placentae ± subapical.  Capsules long-ovoid, 3.5-5 x 1.7-3 mm, slightly lepidote, otherwise sparsely to moderately pubescent, especially near base, the pale, very thick sutures separating as unit from adjacent valves; seeds ca. 2 mm long.

    Distribution.  Endemic to Cuba (Las Villas Prov., Sierra de Trinidad, including Sierra de San Juan, and Sierra de Sancti Spiritus), in cloud forests and savannas, at ca. 700-1070 m alt.  Flowering July and August.