Cyanea recta, a member of the bellflower family (Campanulaceae), is an unbranched shrub up to 1.5 m (3.3 to 4.9 ft) tall. The narrowly elliptic leaves are 12 to 28 cm (4.7 to 11 in) long and 1.2 to 5 cm (0.5 to 2 in) wide, with minutely toothed margins. The upper surface is green and smooth, while the lower surface is whitish green to pale green, and smooth or hairy. Five to seven flowers are arranged on an inflorescence stalk 7 to 10 cm (3 to 4 in) long, each having an individual stalk 5 to 17 mm (0.2 to 0.7 in) in length. The densely hairy flowers are purple or white with purple longitudinal stripes, 3 to 4 cm (1.2 to 1.6 in) long, and 3 to 4 mm (0.1 to 0.2 in) wide, with spreading lobes. The staminal column is smooth or sparsely hairy at the base. The anthers are covered with minute epidermal projections, the lower two with tufts of white hairs at the tip. The fruit is an egg-shaped, purple berry.