This species has rather small leaves, dense pilosulous to hirtellous pubescence, stipules with truncate sheaths and linear lobes, and spiciform inflorescences with the flowers in glomerules and bracts 0.5-5 mm long, calyx lobes 0.5-2 mm long and generally unequal in size, and small corollas with tubes 1-1.5 mm long. The name of this species has sometimes been mis-spelled as "forsteronoides".

Palicourea forsteronioides is here separated from Palicourea malaneoides; these have been variously confused with each other and sometimes considered to belong to the same species. The differences between them are subtle, and further study may show these plants are all conspecific. Palicourea malaneoides is here distinguished by its bracts 0.5-2 mm long, calyx lobes 0.5-1 mm long and similar in size, and corollas with tubes 2-2.5 mm long. In this taxonomy Palicourea malaneoides is the more commonly collected and widespread species. Palicourea forsteronoides is has also been confused with Palicourea jungiana, which is glabrescent and has longer peduncles that bear one head or subcapitate group of flowers, without a developed primary axis.