Cyanea leptostegia is a palm-like tree, reaching heights of 3–14 meters, with bright yellow latex. The leaves are simple and alternate. Blades are dimorphic—juvenile leaves are irregularly parted or divided, measuring 20–70 cm long and 5–12 cm wide across the segments, with 4–7 segments per side. Adult leaves are linear to narrowly oblanceolate, 50–100 cm long, and 2.5–8.5 cm wide. The apex of juvenile leaves is acute to rounded, while adult leaves have an acuminate apex. Surfaces are generally glabrous, although the lower surfaces may rarely be pubescent. Juvenile leaves have minutely callose-denticulate margins, while adult leaves have gently undulate margins that are also minutely callose-denticulate. Petioles in juveniles are 0.5–2 cm long, while adult leaves are sessile. Stipules are absent. The flowers occur in inflorescences of 10–25 flowers, which are densely clustered horizontally among the leaves. Peduncles are 20–80 mm long, and pedicels are 10–20 mm long. The hypanthium is oblong, 15–25 mm long. Flowers are bisexual (perfect), with a 5-lobed calyx. The calyx lobes are linear, 30–55 mm long, and 0.5–1 mm wide, distinct or rarely connate. The corolla is zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetric), rose to purple, 45–55 mm long, and 3–5 mm wide, with a suberect glabrous tube and dorsally cleft to about the middle. All five lobes curve downward in the same plane, giving the corolla a unilabiate appearance. Stamens alternate with the corolla lobes and are connate. The staminal column and anthers are glabrous, with the lower two anthers having apical tufts of white hairs. The ovary is inferior and 2-celled, with axile placentation. The stigma is 2-lobed, spreading apart to become receptive after pollen is pushed through the anther tube. The fruit is a yellow, ovoid berry, 20–35 mm long and 8–12 mm wide. The seeds are numerous, small (1.5–1.7 mm), brown to black, smooth, and shiny, with a straight, short to spatulate dicotyledonous embryo embedded in oily endosperm. It is found in diverse mesic forests at 1,000–1,300 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.