Cyanea asarifolia is a shrub that grows 0.3–1 meter tall and is recognized by its white, yellow, or tan latex. It has sparingly branched, unarmed, muricate, or aculeate stems. It is notable for its simple, alternate, cordiform leaves that are 8.5–10.5 cm long and 7–8 cm wide, with an acute apex, a cordate base, and glabrous surfaces. The leaves have callose-crenulate margins and are supported by 12–15 cm long petioles. It produces large inflorescences of 30–40 flowers in axillary racemes, which can appear sub-umbellate due to the sometimes unexpanded rachis. These inflorescences are glabrous, with peduncles 25–30 mm long and pedicels 7–10 mm long. The hypanthium is obconical and 7–8 mm long. The flowers are bisexual (perfect), featuring a 5-lobed calyx with dentiform lobes and a zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetric) white corolla with purple longitudinal stripes, 20–22 mm long and gently curved. The stamens are five in number, with all anthers possessing apical tufts of white hairs and opening by longitudinal slits. The ovary is inferior and 2-celled, with axile ovule placentation. The fruit is a dark purple, globose berry, approximately 1 cm long, containing numerous small, brown to black, smooth, and shiny seeds, with a straight, short to spatulate dicotyledonous embryo embedded in oily endosperm. It occurs on sheer rock cliffs around 330 meters.
Bean-shaped (Reniform): Resembling the shape of a kidney or bean.
Square or Oblong: Angular shape with all sides more or less equal or longer than wide.
Triangular: Three-sided shape, broadest below the middle.
Elliptic: Rounded at both ends. shaped like an ellipse or oval.
Ovate or Obovate: egg-shaped, broader at one end.
Linear: Extremely long and narrow, with sides usually parallel.
Round: Appears circular, with length and width roughly the same.
Cardioid (Heart-Shaped): One edge has a prominent double curve into two lobes.
Cylindrical: A cylinder with parallel sides and a circular cross-section.
Discoid: Resembling a disc or plate with two relatively flat surfaces.
Fusiform: Spindle-shaped, tapering at both ends.
Globose: Spherical.
Lenticular: Resembling a lens with two convex surfaces.
Ovoid: Egg-shaped.
Plano-convex: Having a flat ventral (planar) surface and a curved dorsal (convex) surface.
Polygonal: Having more than three flat faces meeting at angles.
Sectoroid: Resembling a segment of an orange with two relatively flat faces and one curved face.
Subglobose/ellipsoid: Inflated shape but less than spherical.
Trigonous: Having three faces that meet at a distinct angle; triangular in cross-section.
Endangered species (E) are species that are so rare they’re in danger of becoming extinct.
Threatened species (T) are species that are likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of their range.
Species of Concern (SOC) are species about which there are some concerns regarding status and threats, but insufficient information is available to list the species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Plant Extinction Prevention (PEP) is a state status for rare plants that focuses its efforts on species that have fewer than 50 remaining wild individuals.
Orthodox seeds (desiccation-tolerant): can be dried to an internal seed moisture of less than 12% water and stored at freezing temperatures.
Intermediate seeds (temperature-sensitive) tend to age faster than orthodox seeds and may have only a 5-year lifespan when stored at -20°C. They are recommended for storage at 5°C.
Recalcitrant seeds (desiccation-sensitive): cannot be stored in a conventional freezer as they cannot survive after drying and/or freezing at -20°C. They are recommended for cryopreservation storage.