Clermontia fauriei can grow as either shrubs or trees, reaching heights of 2 to 7 meters, and features repeatedly branched, spreading stems that are light gray or brown, with a solid pith and white, viscous latex. Its leaves are simple and alternate, with oblong or elliptic blades 5–17 cm long and 1.5–7 cm wide, displaying a dark green, glossy upper surface and a pale green, dull lower surface. The flowers appear in axillary inflorescences, typically with one or two flowers that may be glabrous or pubescent. The peduncle is 0.8–3 cm long, with pedicels that ascend and match the length of the peduncle. These flowers are epigynous, zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetric), resupinate, and protandrous, with a hypanthium of 0.9–1.5 cm long. The calyx is synsepalous with deltate lobes, and the corolla, which can be 6–7 cm long, is unilabiate and varies in color from green to purple, with an arcuate tube. The stamens are syngenesious and exserted, with cream anthers and white trichomes at their apex. The fruit is a subglobose orange or yellow berry, measuring 2.5–3.5 cm in length and diameter, containing numerous tiny, shiny, dark brown or black seeds. These seeds have a minutely foveate-reticulate surface and include a straight, short to spatulate dicotyledonous embryo within oily endosperm.  It is found in terrestrial or epiphytic forms within montane rain forests at 365 – 1400 meters.