This species is characterized by medium-sized, stiff-textured, rounded, generally rugulose leaves, terminal cymose inflorescences, 5-6-merous flowers, and showy red to orange corollas ca. 15-25 mm long. It is commonly and widely cultivated in worldwide.

This species is morphologically variable, in its natural range and in cultivation. Borhidi et al. (2017) recognized three subspecies, which are not evaluated here. Grisebach cited an additional infraspecific taxon, Rondeletia odorata var. hirsuta based on Wright 2686, but that new name lacked any diagnostic information and so was not validly published; the specimen Wright 2686 was included in Rondeletia odorata subsp. odorata by M. Fernández-Zequeira (in herb. MO). 

In cultivation, Rondeletia odorata is sometimes confused with Ixora, which has 4-merous corollas with acute rather than rounded lobes.