This species is characterized by elongated slender main stems with short lateral stems and often short-shoots,  regularly developed short but sharp spines, small to well developed leaves with reticulated tertiary venation and closely lineolate quaternary venation, the flowers 1-2 or sometimes more in each axil and subsessile to shortly pedicellate, white to cream corollas 30-40 mm long, acuminate corolla lobes, and medium-sized oblong-ellipsoid fruits. As circumscribed here, this species is widespread and variable, and probably will eventually deserve more study. The leaves are usually relatively small but range to well developed, occasionally on the same stem (Aguilar 3106). The flowers are variously subsessile to pedicellate. The corollas are relatively variable in size; this variation is found in some other Rubiaceae and most often in species that are nocturnal, so this species may be also. Numerous flowering specimens document this species, but fruiting collections are rare.  

This species has been described indepdently by several authors, due at least in part to its wide range, scattered collection localities, and morphological variability. It is commonly collected in a few areas but usually known only from one or two specimens in a given region. The name Chomelia barbellata was based on a plant with relatively small leaves, and Chomelia atlantica based on a plant with relatively large leaves. A higher proportion than average of plants from central Panama through western Colombia and western Ecuador have relatively large leaves (e.g., Palacios et al. 13515), but leaf size varies continuously. 

Chomelia tenuiflora is similar to several other species. Chomelia longiflora has similar flowers borne on well developed peduncles, with usually 2-3 flowers borne in a subcapitate group. Chomelia splitbergeri was separated based on details of bract, calyx lobe, corolla, and fruit size, and is provisionally separated here but may deserve further evaluation. Also similar is Chomelia schomburgkii, which was only diagnosed separated from Chomelia tenuifolia by free vs. shortly fused floral bracts.