This species is characterized by its generally low habit, rather small elliptic leaves, short petioles, short stipules with well developed aristas, terminal and sometimes also axillary, subsessile inflorescences with small groups of subsessile flowers, very short lobed calyx limbs, white corollas with tubes ca. 4 mm long and lobes ca. 3 long, and subglobose fruits ca. 7 mm in diameter. The leaves have weakly developed looping submarginal veins and the venation overall is not easily visible. The flowers are subtended by a pair of linear rather well developed bracts.

Faramea lourteigiana is similar to Faramea cupheoides of Ecuador, with obtuse leaves. In general aspect, including in particular the well developed stipule aristas and poorly evident leaf venation with rather well developed intersecondary veins, Faramea lourteigiana resembles some species of Ixora but those have fruits with two seeds enclosed in hemispherical pyrenes.