Cyanea shipmanii is a shrub reaching 2.5–4 m in height, with stems either unbranched or sparingly branched at the base and covered in muricate (rough) texture, particularly in juveniles. The leaves are simple and alternate, with pinnately divided blades 17–30 cm long and 7–14 cm wide across the segments, featuring 10–15 segments per side that are oblanceolate and deeply cut nearly to the midrib. The upper surfaces of the leaves are glabrous, while the lower surfaces are pubescent along the midrib and veins and muricate in juvenile leaves. The margins are coarsely dentate, and petioles are 3–5.5 cm long and muricate. The inflorescence comprises 10–15 flowers with a pubescent structure, peduncles 10–30 mm long, and pedicels 10–15 mm long. The flowers are bisexual (perfect), with an obconical hypanthium 4–6 mm long and 3–4 mm wide and glabrous. The calyx lobes are oblong, 3–6 mm long and 0.5–1 mm wide, with an acute apex. The corolla is pale greenish white, 30–36 mm long and 3–4 mm wide, gently curved, with lobes spreading and roughly as long as the tube. The stamens are connate, with a densely pubescent column, and the anthers are also densely pubescent, with the lower two featuring apical tufts of white hairs. The ovary is inferior and 2-celled, with axile ovule placentation. The stigma is 2-lobed, transitioning from nonreceptive to receptive after pollen release. The fruit is a broadly ellipsoid berry, 12–15 mm long and 11–13 mm wide, containing numerous seeds. It is found in the mesic forests on the windward slopes of Mauna Kea, Hawai’i, at 460–850 meters.