This species is characterized by its low understory habit, bullate leaves that are obtuse to rounded at the apex, and short cincinnoid inflorescences with dull red flowers. It is very similar to Hoffmannia bullata, described from Guatemala, and these may not be distinct (e.g., Lorence, 1999) although they have been separated by some authors (Castillo-Campos et al., 2014).

The name Hoffmannia discolor was described based on a plant from east-Central Mexico and is poorly documented as to the identity of this plant and whether it is conspecific with plants from Central America, while the identity of Hoffmannia bullata is relatively clear. Thus, the name Hoffmannia bullata is also accepted for now, until the identity and species circumscription of Hoffmannia discolor are clarified. Some clarification of the identity of Hoffmannia discolor was provided by Castillo-Campos et al., (2014), who showed that it is distinct from Hoffmannia refulgens (as "Hoffmannia rzedowskiana"), which had previously been considered possibly (Borhidi, 2012) or certainly conspecific (Burger in Davidse et al., 2012, Flora Mesoamericana) with Hoffmannia discolor.

Hoffmannia discolor is similar to Hoffmannia refulgens and Hoffmannia ghiesbreghtii, and some or all of these species are cultivated as ornamentals. Hoffmannia discolor is also similar to Hoffmannia cauliflora.