Climbing epiphyte or terrestrial shrub with branches to 3 m tall;  stem terete to subterete, then bluntly angled, striate, glabrous;  twigs subterete, complanate, broadly and bluntly angled, striate, glabrous but with scattered glandualr-fimbriae 0.2-0.3 mm long;  bud scales narrowly lanceolate, long-acuminate, ca. 2 mm long;  bark cracking longitudinally in thin strips.  Leaves coriaceous, elliptic, (19-)24-38 x (5-)9-13 cm, base obtuse to rounded, apex shortly and abruptly acuminate, margin slightly revolute near base, glabrous on both surfaces, although with deciduous, scattered glandular fimbriae as on the twigs especially beneath;  5(-7)-plinerved with inner pair of lateral nerves arising in the proximal 2-5 cm, midrib prominent, thickened and raised in the proximal 2-5 cm, then impressed distally above, raised and prominent beneath, lateral nerves impressed above and prominent beneath, reticulate veinlets slightly impressed above and slightly raised beneath but not prominent on either surface;  petiole terete, stout, rugose, 7-11 mm long and 3-4 mm diam., weakly puberulent, glabrate.  Inflorescence pin-cushion type, bearing 1-several (apparently to 5) rachises, usually on older stems in axils of fallen leaves, racemes 2-10-flowered;  rachis angled, 4-11 mm long, glabrous, surrounded at the base by a series of lose, ovate, acuminate bracts ca. 1.5 mm long;  floral bract persistent, ovate, acute to acuminate, 1.5-2 x 1-1.5 mm, glabrous;  pedicel subterete, striate, 7-11 mm long, glabrous or rarely puberulent but sometimes also glandular-fimbriate;  bracteoles nearly basal to nearly midway along the pedicel, often subopposite, ovate, acuminate, 1-1.5 x ca. 0.5 mm, glabrous.  Flowers with calyx continuous with pedicel, 3-5 mm long, glabrous or rarely puberulent;  hypanthium campanulate-subspherical, terete not angled at anthesis, 2-4 mm long, rugose;  limb erect-spreading, ca. 1 mm long;  lobes triangular, 0.7-0.8 mm long;  sinuses obtuse to rounded, ciliolate;  corolla cylindric, sharply angled and narrowly winged over the entire length opposite the lobes (most conspicuous in the dried state), 17-23 mm long and 3-6 mm diam., red basally becoming white at throat, glabrous although with a few glandular fimbriae along edge of the wings, the wings ca. 0.3 mm broad, the lobes oblong-ovate, acute, ca. 2 mm long, white;  stamen equal, ca. 20 mm long;  filaments connate, ca. 5.5 mm long, glabrous;  anthers ca. 16 mm long;  thecae smooth, ca. 7 mm long, the bases long-tapering and there laterally coherent;  tubules distinct to base, ca. 9 mm long, dehiscing by clefts 4-5 mm long;  style about equalling corolla, glabrous.  Berry spherical, ca. 10 mm diam. when fresh but drying parchment-thin and ca. 13 mm diam., purple to blue-black, glabrous.

    Distribution.  Endemic to Ecuador;  rainforest and premontane wet forest, at 600-2200 m altitude.  Rare and endangered.

    Local name:  trepadora.

    Uses:  fruit eaten by the bird "pava silvestre".