Schiedea kauaiensis, a member of the pink family (Caryophyllaceae), is a generally hairless, erect subshrub, with stems normally 0.3 to 1.5 m (1.0 to 5.0 ft) long. The green, sometimes purple-tinged leaves are opposite, narrowly egg-shaped or lance-shaped to narrowly or broadly elliptic, up to 13 cm (5 in) long, and 3.5 cm (1.4 in) wide. The petal-less, perfect flowers are borne in open branched inflorescences, moderately covered with fine, short, curly, white hairs. The lance-shaped sepals, 2.0 to 3.8 mm (0.08 to 1.5 in) long, are green or sometimes purple-tinged. The fruit is a capsule. The round or kidney-shaped seeds are about 2.0 mm (0.08 in) long.