Shrubs or treelets 2–4 m, sharply pilose; indumentum of the branches, petioles, veins in abaxial surface of the leaves, inflorescences and hypanthium rufous, moderately to densely with dendritic trichomes, sessile or short-pedicelate, and rough-setulose trichomes, persistent. Petioles 2.8–3.3 cm long; blade 16.5–30.5 × 8.3–12.4 cm, papiraceous or chartaceous, elliptic, base obtuse, apex acuminate, margin crenulate-ciliolate; adaxial surface estrigulose-setulose, abaxial surface also with setulose trichomes; domatia absent; acrodromous veins 5, 6– 10 mm suprabasal. Thyrsoids of glomerules, 9.5–14.6 cm long; bracts 3.2–3.3 × 0.8–1.1 mm, bracteoles 1.8–2 × 0.5–0.6 mm, both triangular-acuminate, not involucral. Flowers 5-merous; pedicelate; hypanthium 2.2–2.5 × 2–2.4 mm, campanulate; inner torus setulose; calyx with external lobes 0.8–1.5 × 0.8–1 mm, internal lobes obsolete; petals 2.9–3.2 × 0.5–0.6 mm, white, reflex, narrowly triangular; stamens with filaments 1.6–1.7 mm long; anthers ca. 1.9 mm long, white, straight, connective not prolonged, unappendaged; ovary 1.2–1.8 × 1.5–1.9 mm, 1/2-inferior, 3-celled, sparse-setulose; style 5.9–6 mm long. Bacidium 3.2–6 × 4–5 mm, purple, subglobose, sparse-setulose and -dendritic; seeds 0.3–0.4 × 0.2–0.3 mm, obtriangular, testa granulose.

Specimens examined:— 7.IV.2007, fr., K.C. Silva 13 (RB, RBR); 29.VII.2008, fr., K.C. Silva 48 (RB, RBR); 3.IV.2010, ster., K.C. Silva 87 (RBR).

Additional specimen examined:— BRASIL. Rio de Janeiro: Miguel Pereira, 13.XI.2001, fl., S.J. Silva Neto et al. 1506 (RB).

Distribution:—Endemic to the Atlantic Forest Biome of Brazil, occurring in the states of Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul (Souza & Baumgratz 2012a).

Comments:—In Marambaia, it is found from sea level up to 641 m in Dense Submontane Ombrophilous Forest. The indumentum of the branches and petioles are rufous, densely covered by dendritic and rough-setulose trichomes. Leandra variabilis is morphologically closer to L. carassana (Candolle 1828: 162) Cogniaux (1886: 120), a sympatric species which is distinguished by bracts and calyx tube and lobes that are longer (Camargo et al. 2009, Souza & Baumgratz 2009). Additional illustrations in Raddi (1829) and Souza & Baumgratz (2009).