Terrestrial shrub with branches arching to 2 m;  stem and twigs subterete, bluntly angled, sparsely to densely puberulous to grayish short-pilose, also often densely glandular-fimbriate.  Leaves coriaceous, elliptic, sometimes ovate-elliptic (8-)10-14(-19) x (3-)4-7 cm, base rounded or obtuse and then short-attentuate, apex short-acuminate, margin entire but revolute near base, sparsely pilose and glandular-fimbriate above, pilose on the nerves and densely glandular-fimbriate beneath;  (3-)5(-7)-plinerved, midrib thickened and raised in the proximal 2 cm, then impressed distally above, raised beneath, lateral nerves impressed above and raised beneath, reticulate veinlets slightly impressed or raised above, raised beneath;  petiole subterete, rugose, 7-10 mm long, densely grayish puberulent.  Inflorescence axillary, racemose, (8-)15-25-flowered, surrounded at the base by a series of broadly ovate to hemispheric, ovate-lanceolate, to oblanceolate, acute to rounded, sometimes retuse, glabrous bracts to ca. 25 x 15 mm;  rachis subterete, conspicuously sharply ribbed, (1.5-)3-4.5 cm long, pilose and glandular-fimbriate;  floral bract semi-persistent, membranous, obovate or oblanceolate, acute to rounded, 24-30 x 10-11 mm, glabrous but densely glandular-fimbriate on the dorsal surface, sometimes these restricted to the margin of the lamina, pale green suffused with pink;  pedicel terete, sharply striate, 12-15 mm long but elongating to 20 mm post anthesis, pilose and glandular-fimbriate;  bracteoles nearly basal, aristate, 2-4 x 0.3 mm, pilose, marginally glandular-fimbriate.  Flowers with calyx glabrous but densely glandular-fimbriate, 5-6 mm long;  hypanthium subspherical, 3-4.5 mm long;  limb campanulate, 0.5-2 mm long;  lobes broadly deltate, acute, ca. 1 mm long;  sinuses rounded;  corolla subcylindric, widest at the middle, narrowing towards the throat, 19-24 mm long and ca. 5-6 mm diam. when dry (ca 10 mm diam. fresh), densely short-pilose, rose-red in the lower 3/4 and white in the upper 1/4, the lobes spreading at anthesis, deltate, bluntly acute, ca. 1.5 mm long;  stamen alternately unequal, ca. 9 mm and 10 mm long;  filaments connate nearly to the tip, alternately 5-6 mm and 7-8 mm long, pilose along the margins and on the ventral surface;  anthers equal, 3-4.5 mm long;  thecae ca. 2.5-3 mm long;  tubules ca. 1-2 mm long, dehiscing by short, obovate, subterminal, oblique pores ca. 1 mm long.  Berry immature but at least 10 mm diam. and turning purple.

    Distribution.  Endemic to Ecuador;  montane wet forest at 2500-3200 m altitude.

    Local names:  chaquilulu, joyapa (Saraguro).

    Uses:  fruit edible;  wood as fuel.  Medicinally flowers used with others against inflammation.