The Holmskioldia sappguinea Retz. (1791) is a woody evergreen shrub up to about 5 m tall, with long arcuate branches, being the young ones slightly pubescent and of almost quadrangular section. The leaves are opposite, ovate or deltoid with long pointed apex, slightly pubescent, 5-12 cm long and 3- 8 cm broad, with entire or slightly dentate margin of dark green color. Inflorescences in axillary or terminal cymes, up to about 5 cm long, carrying flowers from orange to red (in cultivation there is also a yellow flowered variety), with petaloid calyx shared like an ample bell with 5, slightly pronounced, lobes of about 2 cm of diameter, persistent, tubulous corolla, 1.6-2 cm long, bent downwards, with 5 lobes with curved margins and bigger front lobe.
