Shrub;  stem terete, nitid, puberulent;  bark cracking longitudinally;  twigs subterete, angled, ribbed, puberulent.  Leaves membranous, crowded, obovate to oblong-obovate, (1.7-)3-6 x (1.4-)2-3 cm, base long-tapering, obtuse to broadly cuneate, apex rounded and conspicuously retuse, margin remotely crenate with each tooth terminating in a deciduous, ferruginous, glandular hair ca. 0.2-0.3 mm long, glabrous on both surfaces although the apical notch ciliolate, lower surface at base with one circular, greenish, somewhat concave gland on each side of the midrib;  3(-5)-plinerved from near the base, midrib thickened and slightly raised in proximal 1 cm and then plane to weakly impressed or weakly raised distally above, raised and conspicuous beneath, lateral nerves and reticulate veinlets plane to weakly raised above, raised and prominent beneath;  petiole subterete, somewhat flattened above, rugose to striate, 2.5-4 mm long, weakly puberulent.  Inflorescence axillary, solitary, fasciculate, 1-4-flowered, surrounded at the base by a series of ovate, acute, glandular-fimbriate bracts to ca. 2 x 1.8 mm;  floral bract oblong-ovate, acute, 2-2.3 mm long and broad, marginally scarious and glandular-fimbriate, glabrous but ciliate;  pedicel terete, ribbed to acutely angled, 7-11 mm long, glabrous;  bracteoles basal, similar to floral bract.  Flowers with calyx articulate, 4-4.7 mm long, glabrous;  hypanthium cylindric or turbinate, ca. 2.5 mm long, the base truncate;  limb spreading, 1.5-2.2 mm long, provided (just above junction with hypanthium and opposite the sinuses) with two, oblong to circular, greenish to reddish, pustular glands ca. 0.2-0.4 mm long or diam.;  lobes broadly deltate, acute, 0.7-0.8 mm long;  sinuses obtuse to rounded;  corolla tubular, terete, 13-18 mm long and 3.5-5 mm diam., glabrous or weakly pilose at very tips of lobes within, vivid scarlet (fide label), the lobes slightly reflexed, triangular, acute, 1-1.5 mm long, each side bearing at the base a cartilaginous, tooth-like gland;  stamen (8-)10, about one-half as long as the corolla, ca. 9.5-10 mm long;  filaments connate into a tube 4-4.3 mm long, glabrous;  anthers ca. 6 mm long;  thecae smooth, ca. 3 mm long;  tubules distinct to base, ca. 3 mm long, dehiscing by clefts ca. 1.5 mm long;  style 15-16 mm long, glabrous.  Berry not seen.

    Distribution.  Endemic to E Ecuador and known only from the type collection, from lowland rainforest, at 350-700 m altitude.  Rare and endangered.