This species was characterized in its first descripion by its shortly petiolate, medium-sized leaves with regularly developed domatia; well developd stipules ca. 8 mm long with lacerate margins (or projections); a shortly pedunculate, shortly cymose, few-flowered inflorescence; a well developed, lobed calyx limb ca. 4 mm long; and fruits ca. 7 mm in diameter. The identity of this species is not completely clear, and the locality of the single Martius collection from which it was described is not known. However, it appears to match a few specimens from northeastern Peru, which are provisionally included here in Rudgea bacciflora. These plants have shortly cymose inflorescences with about 5-11, subsessile to shortly pedicellate flowers, a subtruncate to dentate or lobed calyx limb 3.5-5 mm long, and a slenderly funnelform corolla with the tube ca. 15 mm long and the lobes ca. 6 mm long and smooth abaxially. 

Rudgea bacciflora has been confused with Rudgea cryptantha, which is similar in aspect and many details. Rudgea cryptantha differs in its simlarly lacerate and well developed stipules, 8-14 mm long, that are fused around the stem or split into two ligulate parts; subsessile, subcapitate, apparently few-flowered inflorescences; calyx limb ca. 1-2 mm long; and corolla with the tube ca. 12 mm long. 

Rudgea bacciflora is also similar to Rudgea sororia, which has larger leaves, pedunculate cymose inflorescences with larger bracts, and longer calyx limbs ca. 12 mm long. Rudgea bacciflora is also generally similar to Rudgea obesiflora.