Terrestrial shrub 0.8-1.5 m tall;  stem terete, glabrous;  twigs subterete, bluntly angled, ribbed, glabrous to densely pilose with white hairs, glabrate;  bark grayish, cracking longitudinally and exfoliating in thin strips;  buds ovoid, fusiform, the scales numerous, imbricate, ovate to narrowly ovate, glabrous, reddish-brown.  Leaves alternate, coriaceous, congested, somewhat concave, oblong-elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 10-15 x 6-10 mm, base obtuse to rounded, apex rounded to obtuse but shortly and sharply cuspidate to apiculate, margin entire, conspicuously thickened and slightly revolute, glabrous but with scattered, glandular fimbriae beneath which are 0.1-0.2 mm long;  uni-nerved with only the midrib apparent, this impressed above and raised beneath;  petiole subterete, flattened above, rugose, 1-2.5 mm long, glabrous to pilose as twigs.  Inflorescence with flowers 1(-2) in axils of upper leaves;  floral bract and bracteoles indistinguishable, all located at base of pedicel, ovate, acuminate, 1-1.5 x ca. 1 mm, ciliolate;  pedicel subterete, angled, 4-5 mm long, densely short-pilose with white hairs and also glandular-fimbriate distally.  Flowers 4-merous, reflexed to pendent, with calyx inconspicuously articulate with pedicel, 5-7 mm long;  hypanthium obprismatic, 4-angled, 2.5-4 mm long, short-pilose especially in proximal half;  limb spreading, 2.5-3 mm long;  lobes deltate, acuminate, 1.5-2 mm long, glabrous or ciliate;  sinuses acute;  corolla cylindric, terete or 4-angled, 11-15 mm long, dark red, glabrous, the lobes deltate, acute, ca. 1 mm long;  stamen 8, 9-10 mm long;  filaments 2-2.5 mm long, pilose;  anthers 8-10 mm long;  thecae 3-4 mm long;  tubules 5-6 mm long, dehiscing through oblique clefts ca. 1 mm long;  style exserted 1-2 mm beyond corolla, glabrous.  Berry not seen.

    Distribution.  Endemic to Ecuador and known from only ca. 6 collections;  subpáramo thickets to páramo at 2960-3600 m altitude.  Rare and endangered.