Cyrtandra wagneri, a member of the Gesneriaceae (Africa violet) family, is a shrub or small tree up to 3 m (10 ft) tall. The main stem is solitary or sparsely branched. Most parts of C. wagneri are golden to dark brown, minutely pubescent with long, soft, often bent or curved but not matted hairs or hirtellous (pubescent with rather coarse or stiff, often bent or curved hairs). The leafy stems are 5 to 10 mm (0.2 to 0.4 in) in diameter with internodes (part of a stem between two adjacent notes). The leaves pair equal or subequal, symmetrial to somewhat asymmetrial, and are large and opposite-facing. The blade is elliptic to oblong-elliptic and adaxially (surface of the leaf that faces the stem during development) hairy or velvety. The leaf veins are prominent and raised, the margin serrulate (with forward pointing teeth) with hair tufts. The flowers are cauliferous (originating from the stem) 12- to 25-flowered cymose (definite inflourescences) borne (arising near the leaf and stem axil) near ground level or up to 2 m (7 ft) along the stem, dischasial (biparous; bearing two) at first erect then becoming pendulous (hanging down loosely) with age which makes this species unique. The berries are white, ovoid to ovoid-ellipsoid. Seeds are pale brown, ellipsoid and 0.3 mm (0.01 in).