Recent field expeditions in the Chocó Biogeographic Region on the western Andean slopes of northwestern South America, as well as ongoing herbarium research, have led to the discovery of a new species of Columnea L. (Gesneriaceae) and prompted circumscriptions to be updated for some Columnea species. A new species, Columnea flavohirsuta J. L. Clark, is described and differentiated from a complex of morphologically similar species including C. minutiflora L. P. Kvist & L. E. Skog and C. herthae Mansf. The name C. parviflora C. V. Morton is recognized as a heterotypic synonym of C. herthae. The name C. tenensis (Wiehler) B. D. Morley is recognized as a heterotypic synonym of C. illepida H. E. Moore. The name C. reticulata Amaya-Márquez, L. E. Skog & G. E. González is recognized as a heterotypic synonym of C. purpureovittata (Wiehler) B. D. Morley. The taxonomic history of these species is discussed, and field images are provided to serve as aids for identification and a guide for future systematic studies of Columnea.

Keywords: Chocó Biogeographic Region, Colombia, Columnea, Ecuador, taxonomy