Shrubs up to 4 meters high; stems stout, pubescent to subtomentose, the hairs sordid, variously curved, the internodes 5 to 7 cm. long, the lenticels oval to linear, 1 mm. long or less; leaf blades ovate-elliptic to lanceolate, 5 to 20 cm. long, 2 to 10 cm. wide, acuminate at the apex, gradually to rather abruptly narrowed and decurrent on the petiole at base, entire, undulate, the upper surface more or less scabridulous, subnitid, glabrous to sparingly puberulous or pilose, the hairs up to 0.5 mm. long, the costa impressed, this and the lateral veins (12 to 1€ pairs) often strigose, the lower surface sparingly to densely and softly pubescent or tomentose beneath, the hairs sordid; petioles (the unwinged portion) 1 cm. long or less, the pubescence that of the stems; flowers borne in spikes up to 20 cm. long and about 1 cm. broad, these terminal or both terminal and lateral, then forming a narrow terminal spicate thyrse; bracts ovate-elliptic, 8 to 15 mm. long, 4 to 6 mm. wide, acuminate, sparingly pilosulous without, gla- brous within, rather strongly 5-nerved, bearing above the middle 1 to several slender marginal teeth up to 1.5 mm. long and, near the middle of the dorsal surface, 2 small submarginal glands about 0.5 mm. in diameter; bract lets lanceolate, 6 to 7 mm. long, 1.75 mm. wide, slenderly acuminate, dorsally pilosulous, the margins subhyaline; calyx lobes subequal, ovate to lanceolate, the posterior one about 3 mm. wide, the lateral pair 1.5 mm. wide, the anterior pair barely 2 mm. wide, all finely striate-nerved, subhyaline, sparingly pilosulous dorsally; co- rolla pale to bright red, orange, or crimson, pubescent distally, glabrous proximally, about 4 cm. long, the tube subcylindric, about 3 mm. broad at base, constricted to 2 mm. at 5 mm. above base, about 5 mm. broad at throat, the lips oblong-ovate, 4.5 to 5 mm. wide, subequal, the upper one erect, 2-lobed, narrowly triangular, the lobes 3.5 mm. long, 1.5 mm. wide at the base, acuminate, outwardly curved, the lower lip spreading, entire, acuminate, the tip curved, or if 3-lobed, the lateral lobes vestigial, appearing as mere notches near the base of the upper lip; stamens exserted; capsules oblong, 15 to 20 mm. long, about 8 mm. broad and 3 mm. thick, obtuse at the apex, glabrous, minutely and inconspicuously punctate; seed dull brown, orbicular, 4 mm. in diam- eter, 2 mm. thick, minutely roughened. Flowering usually from October to February. The tips of the stems and the uppermost leaves of García-Barriga's No. 11727 were yellow when collected.
Partial to wooded or open river banks or adjacent slopes, usually at elevations from 130 to 380 meters (1,040 to 1,320 meters, García- Barriga 11727). Southern Mexico to northern South America; West Indies. BOLÍVAR: Vicinity of Cartagena, Bro. Heriberto 357 (US). San Martín de Loba, Lands of Loba, Curran 99 (US); 111 (GH, US). Sincelejo, Pennell 4057 (NY, US). BOYACA: On the Río Cusiana, at San Antonio, Haught 2013 (US). CUNDINAMARCA: Hacienda Paramillo, between Guaduas and Alto de Aguaclara, Garola-Barriga 11727 (US). MAGDALENA: Aguachica, Schlim 278 (K).
META: Río Casanare, at Esmeralda, Cuatrecasas 3816 (US). Río Meta, at La Venturosa, Cuatrecasas 4195 (US). Río Orinoco, at Puerto Carreño, Cuatre- casas 4046 (US). Sabanas de San Juan de Arama, Idrobo & Schultes 1223 (US). Vicinity of Villavicencio, Hanght 2501 (US). VAUPÉS: Cerro de Mitú, Cuatrecasus 6878 (US). VICHADA: Along the Río Vichada, 7 km. northeast of San José de Ocuné, Hermann 10973 (US). DEPARTMENT (?): Mutis 1489 (US).