Terrestrial shrub to 4 m tall or sometimes small tree up to 8 m tall;  stem terete to subterete, striate, glabrous;  twigs subterete, complanate, striate to sharply ribbed, nitid, glabrous.  Leaves elliptic, ovate-elliptic, or subspatulate, 3-8.5 x 1-3 cm, base cuneate and (sometimes abruptly) long-attenuate onto the petiole, apex narrowing and rounded or obtuse, margin entire, slightly thickened and revolute, remotely crenulate, glabrous, but often densely glandular-fimbriate and sometimes subsequently punctate near base of both surfaces;  pinnately nerved with 2-3 lateral nerves per side, midrib thickened and raised in the proximal 1-2 cm then impressed distally above, raised beneath, lateral nerves arcuate-ascending, impressed above and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets plane to slightly impressed above but generally obscure on both surfaces, all nerves usually lighter color beneath;  petiole subterete, often carinate above, slightly winged, rugose, 3-9 mm long, glabrous.  Inflorescence (subfasciculate ?) to short-racemose, 2-7-flowered, bracts deciduous;  floral bract persistent, reflexed after anthesis, ovate, acuminate, 1.5-2.5 x ca. 1.5 mm, glabrous;  rachis congested, nodes overlapping and swollen, 3-7 mm long, glabrous;  pedicel subterete, stout, sharply ribbed, 4-8 mm long, glabrous, but often coarsely glandular-fimbriate at articulation;  bracteoles variably located from near base to near apex, broadly ovate, acute, ca. 1.5 x 1.5 mm, glabrous.  Flowers with calyx 2.5-3.5(-6) mm long, glabrous;  hypanthium campanulate, 1.5-2(-4) mm long, the base truncate;  limb spreading-campanulate, 1-2 mm long;  lobes deltate, acute, apiculate, ca. 0.5-1 x 1.5 mm;  sinuses  rounded;  corolla subcylindric, terete or broadly pentagonal, 11-15 mm long and 3-4 mm diam. when dry (ca 6 mm diam. when fresh), glabrous but sometimes with scattered glandular fimbriae distally, orangish-red, the lobes spreading, oblong-triangular, acute, 1-3 mm long;  stamen nearly as long as corolla, 8-10.5 mm long;  filaments distinct, 1-2.5 mm long, sparsely pilose at distal margins;  anthers 7-9.5 mm long;  thecae 3.8-5 mm long;  tubules 2, laterally connate, 3-4.5 mm long, dehiscing by clefts 1-1.5 mm long;  style exserted, to mm 19 long, glabrous;  nectariferous disc conspicuously annular-pulvinate, glabrous.  Berry ovoid, up to 10 mm diam.

    Distribution.  Endemic to Ecuador;  montane wet forest to subpáramo forest, at 1400-3323 m altitude.

    Local name:  joyapa.

    Uses:  fruit edible.