Terrestrial or epiphyte shrub with branches often arching to 2 m long, glabrous throughout (except filaments);  stem terete to subterete, striate;  twigs subterete to complanate, bluntly angled, striate.  Leaves coriaceous to subcoriaceous, elliptic, 11-24.5 x 4-7 cm, base rounded or cuneate, short-attentuate, apex cuspidate to short- or long-acuminate, margin entire, often slightly revolute near base;  5(-7)-plinerved from near the base to 1 cm above, midrib and lateral nerves impressed in a channel in the proximal 2/3 but usually becoming plane distally above, raised beneath, reticulate veinlets weakly impressed or raised above, raised beneath;  petiole subterete, faintly winged distally, rugose, 7-10 mm long.  Inflorescence axillary, racemose, pedunculate, ca. (3-)6-15-flowered;  rachis and peduncle (proximal 2.5-6 cm long to first fertile node) subterete to bluntly angled, striate, ca. 4-14 cm long, red;  floral bract persistent, ovate, acuminate, ca. 2 mm long, marginally glandular-fimbriate;  pedicel terete, striate, 12-25 mm long, elongating to 32 mm after anthesis, bearing few fimbriate at apex, red;  bracteoles located just above base, similar to floral bract, but ca. 1 mm long.  Flowers with calyx 7-8 mm long, bright, dark red to orangish-red;  hypanthium subcylindric-subglobose, terete, rugose, ca. 4 mm long, the base rounded, red;  limb spreading-campanulate, 3-4 mm long, light yellowish-green;  lobes ovate, acute, apiculate, 2.5-3 mm long, the margins "torn", brownish;  sinuses acute;  corolla globose-urceolate, 8-9 mm long and 8-8.5 mm diam., bright, dark yellow, the lobes triangular, acute, ca. 1-2 mm long, sometimes with reddish tint;  stamen ca. 4-6 mm long;  filaments distinct, ca. 2.5-4 mm long, weakly ciliolate, attached to thecae near top, the connectives very thick, lacking spurs;  anthers ca. 3.5-4.5 mm long;  thecae ca. 3 mm long;  tubules distinct to partially fused, ca. 1-1.5 mm long, dehiscing by clefts about as long as the tubules;  style slightly shorter than corolla.  Mature berry not seen, but at least 8 mm diam.

    Distribution.  Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador;  premontane forest to montane wet and montane rainforest, at 1100-2560 m altitude.

    Uses:  Visited by Trigona bees (Madison 3931).

    Cultivated:  ABG, NY.