This species can be recognized by its somewhat short deciduous stipules that are spathulate and truncate to rounded with deciduous glands along their margins, together with medium-sized leaves that are subsessile to very shortly petiolate and rounded to cordulate at the base; several-flowered cymose pedunculate inflorescences with regularly dichasial and usually well developed axes; tubular rather well developed calyx limbs; white corollas with a notable linear appendage on the tip of each lobe; and white subglobose fruits. The inflorescence axes and pedicels frequently elongate as the fruits develop. As circumscribed by Zappi (2006) and here, Rudgea skutchii is found from southern Central America through the Andes to the western Amazon basin, and is not commonly collected anywhere but is most often collected in Central America. Plants from Central America lack domatia on the leaves but South American plants generally have well developed pit domatia.

Rudgea skutchii is generally similar to Rudgea cornifolia, though these differ in the presence vs. absence of leaf domatia and the sizes of the calyx limbs and corolla. Rudgea skutchii is also similar to Rudgea trifucata of Costa Rica, and these may not be distinct. Rudgea skutchii is also similar to Rudgea monofructus of Costa Rica, with solitary larger flowers and fruits. Rudgea skutchii is also similar to Rudgea killipii of northeastern Colombia, with more numerous flowers and shorter calyx limbs. Rudgea skutchii is also generally similar to Faramea spathacea.