Terrestrial shrub with lianoid branches to 4 m long;  stem subterete to broadly and bluntly angled, striate to ribbed, glabrous, stramineous;  twigs subterete, bluntly angled, striate, glabrous.  Leaves thick-coriaceous, broadly elliptic to somewhat ovate-elliptic, rarely the largest leaves ovate, 12-30 x 5-17(-20) cm, base obtuse, ± rounded, to broadly cuneate and decurrent, rarely rounded and subcordate, apex rounded or obtuse, to bluntly short-cuspidate, margin often revolute in proximal one-third, glabrous but sometimes punctate with sunken glandular fimbriae beneath;  pinnately nerved with 3-4 lateral nerves per side, the innermost pair arching to the apex, midrib conspicuously thickened and raised in the proximal half then distally impressed above, lateral nerves impressed above, reticulate veinlets slightly but conspicuously raised above, all nerves raised and conspicuous beneath;  petiole subterete, winged above, rugose, very stout, 5-20 mm long, glabrous.  Inflorescence axillary, racemose, 7-15(-20)-flowered;  rachis somewhat supra-axillary, subterete, bluntly angled, striate, stout, (1.5-)3-6 cm long and 4-5 mm diam., glabrous;  floral bract ovate, acute, 2-2.5 mm long, glabrous;  pedicel subterete, striate to ribbed, 20-45 mm long, glabrous, red;  bracteoles located near base, subopposite, ovate and acute to obovate and ± distally truncate, apiculate, 1-1.5 mm long, glabrous but margin fimbriate and scarious.  Flowers with calyx articulate, 8-11 mm long, glabrous, red;  hypanthium campanulate, rugose, 2-4 mm long;  limb cylindric-spreading, 5-7 mm long;  lobes broadly triangular-ovate, apiculate, 0.5-1 mm long;  sinuses acute to broadly rounded;  corolla cylindric, thick-carnose even when dry, 21-31 mm long and 9-10 (ca. 6 when dry) mm diam., pure white, glabrous, the lobes deltate, 1.5-2 mm long;  stamen 10, usually exserted from corolla slightly before anthesis, 19-25.5 mm long;  filaments distinct, 3.5-5 mm long, glabrous or densely puberulent to short-pilose in distal one-third, rarely the connective seems to have a tiny distal prolongation;  anthers 18-23 mm long;  thecae granular, 12-16 mm long;  tubules laterally coherent for proximal one-half then distinct, 6-8 mm long, dehiscing by clefts ca. 6-7 mm long, sometimes onto the thecae;  style about as long as corolla, glabrous.  Berry spherical, to 22 mm diam., glabrous, dark blue-black, juicy.

    Distribution.  Endemic to Ecuador;  premontane forest, montane cloud forest, and elfin forest, at 1036-2200 m altitude.

    Uses:  fruit sweet and juicy.  Visited by two different hummingbirds and ants feeding at nectar (pers. observ. Luteyn & Borchsenius 13337).