This species is characterized by its extensively twining habit, dense pilose to hirsute or canescent pubescence, its its apparently rather delicate-textured leaves of average size (for Manettia), its flowers that are solitary or usually several in shortly cymose groups, its (6)8 lanceolate to ovate or elliptic calyx lobes 2-5 mm long, and its funnelform red corollas that are densely pubescent on the outside and have the tubes 8-9 mm long and the obovate, broadly rounded lobes as long as or longer than the tube. In flower Manettia hispida generally resembles species of Gesneriaceae. Manettia hispida is similar to Manettia pearcei, which has longer corollas.