Terrestrial or epiphytic, sometimes subrecumbent, sometimes lianoid shrub with branches to 2.5 m long, sometimes arising from a lignotuber;  stem thin, subterete, glabrous;  bark peeling off in thin sheets;  twigs subterete to strongly complanate, bluntly angled, nitid, glarous.  Leaves subcoriaceous, flat or sometimes bullate, ovate, (3.5-)7-14(-17) x 2-7(-9) cm, base acute and decurrent onto the petiole to rounded, rarely subcordate, apex short- to long-acuminate, margin entire and slightly revolute, sometimes conspicuously recurved in proximal 1/3 near base, glabrous but minutely glandular-fimbriate beneath;  5(-7)-plinerved, midrib thickened and raised in the proximal 2-3 cm then distally impressed above, raised beneath, lateral nerves impressed above and strongly raised beneath, sometimes conspicuously so, inner pair of lateral nerves arising ca. 2 cm above the base, reticulate veinlets slightly raised on both surfaces;  petiole subterete, flattened above, narrowly winged, rugose, 3-5 mm long, glabrous.  Inflorescence axillary, solitary, fasciculate, 1-3-flowered, surrounded at the base by many papyraceous, deltate, subacute bracts to ca. 1 mm long;  floral bract ovate, (long-)acuminate, to 2.5 mm long, glabrous but marginally glandular-fimbriate;  pedicel thin, striate, 7-9 mm long;  bracteoles basal, similar to floral bract.  Flowers with calyx inconspicuously articulate with the pedicel, turbinate, 7-10 mm long;  hypanthium obprismatic, elongate, 5.5-7 mm long, 5-winged over entire length but not extending distally beyond the limb margin, sometimes glandular-fimbriate near base;  limb spreading-campanulate, 1.5-3 mm long;  lobes apiculate, < 1 mm long;  sinuses complanate;  corolla carnose, cylindric, slightly narrowed at throat, pentagonal, (16-)23-25 mm long and ca. 8 mm diam. when fresh, glabrous without but white pilose within, deep coral-red, the lobes spreading and reflexed, oblong, subacute, ca. 3 mm long;  stamen 10-11 mm long;  filaments connate into a tube, 5-6 mm long;  anthers 5-8 mm long;  thecae 3.5-5 mm long, the base incurved;  tubules fused into one, 2-3 mm long, dehiscing by a cleft ca. 2 mm long;  style subequalling corolla or exserted, glabrous.  Berry translucent white.

    Distribution.  Endemic to Ecuador;  premontane to montane cloud forest at 475-2400 m altitude.

    Local name:  jayapa [joyapa ?].  Rare.