This species is characterized by its rather robust habit, its truncate tubular stipules with a medial group of glands on each interpetiolar side, its pedunculate paniculiform inflorescences with the axes often verticillate, its rather small sessile flowers, and its red fruits. It is generally rather similar to Rudgea ventuariana.

This species was classified in Palicourea by Delprete & Kirkbride (2016), without explanation; they did not cite the combination based on the same basionym in Rudgea. It was included in Rudgea by Lachenaud et al. (2022).