This species is characterized by its medium-sized stiff-textured leaves, 4-merous flowers borne on well developed pedicels, red corollas with the tube 42--48 mm long, and stoutly cylindrical capsules. This species has the only red flowers in Ferdinandusa. These presumably attract hummingbirds, and are similar to some Bignoniaceae found in the same region. Some pubescent plants have been separated as infraspecific taxa by some authors, but the differences that separate these taxa are minor and inconsistent and these were not recognized by Anunciação (2004).