This species is characterized by its strigillose pubescence, its leaves with well developed petioles and a pair of swollen ant vesicles at the base of the blade or along the upper part of the petiole; its cymose inflorescences with the axes generally becoming scorpoioid, and its somewhat well developed calyx lobes. The vesicles appear to be formed by a broadened basal portion of the leave blade about 1-3 cm long that is strongly revolute, forming a closed or nearly closed structure about 0.5-1 cm wide; at least sometimes these structures house ants. The flowers and fruits of this species have not been documented, although the label data of one collection report that the fruits are white.

Hoffmannia kirkbridei is one of eight Hoffmannia species with ant vesicles found in Costa Rica, Panama, and adjacent northwestern Colombia. These share the characterisic pubescence, vesicles at the base of the leaf blade, and generally well developed inflorescences; however they vary in details of the inflorescence arrangement, leaf form and size, and calyx, corolla, and fruit details. The species and their distinctions are outined in the key to the vesiculate Central American Hoffmannia species on the species page for Hoffmannia vesciculifera.