Euphorbia remyi var. kauaiensis, a member of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge) family, is a shrub with stems erect to scandent (climbing), 0.3 to 2 m (1 to 6.6 ft) long, and flowering branches 1 to 6 mm (0.04 to 0.24 in) in diameter. The leaves are oppositely arranged with each succeeding pair set at right angles to the previous pair and are elliptic to oblong or broadly lanceolate in shape. The blades are 35 to 165 mm (1.4 to 6.5 in) long and 15 to 75 mm (0.6 to 3.0 in) wide. This variety has many-branched cymose (having a usually flat-topped flower cluster in which the main and branch stems each end in a flower that opens before those below it or to its side) inflorescences and glabrous (smooth) capsules scarcely protruding beyond the top of the cyathia (an inflorescence consisting of a cuplike cluster of modified leaves enclosing a female flower and several male flowers).