This species is characterized by its reduced or deciduous pubescence, medium-sized rather narrowly obovate leaves, stipules 9-15 mm long, subsessile flowers, calyx lobes 1-1.5 mm long, corollas ca.. 3-5 mm long, and rather stout capsules 12-20 x 3-4 mm. The inflorescences axes are stout and rather straight. The leaves are usually glabrious abaxially with well developed pubescent domatia, and the secondary veins are rather few and the higher-order venation not readily evident.  As noted by Andersson (in Andersson & Taylor, 1994) this species is similar to Alseis labatoides, of northern Venezuela.