Cyanea stictophylla is a shrub or tree that grows 0.6–6 meters tall and has sparingly branched, either unarmed or muricate stems. Its leaves are simple and alternate, featuring narrowly oblong to oblanceolate blades measuring 20–38 cm long and 4–8 cm wide. The leaves have an acute apex, cuneate base, and glabrous or muricate surfaces. The margins are callose-denticulate and shallowly lobed, while the petioles are 1.5–3.5 cm long and pubescent. The inflorescences comprise 5–6 flowers, with pubescent peduncles 10–40 mm long and pedicels 7–22 mm long. The bisexual (perfect) flowers have an ovoid to obconical hypanthium that is 5–5 mm long and sparsely pubescent. The calyx lobes are triangular, measuring 2–4 mm long and 1–2 mm wide, with an acuminate apex. The corolla is yellowish-white or purple, 35–50 mm long, and 5–6 mm wide, with a sparsely pubescent tube that is arcuate and lobes spreading to 1⁄2–¾ the length of the tube. It has five stamens, with a glabrous staminal column and glabrous anthers, the lower two of which have apical tufts of white hairs. The inferior ovary is 2-celled, with axile ovule placentation and a 2-lobed stigma that becomes receptive after the anther tube pushes out the pollen. The fruits are orange, and the globose berries contain numerous seeds. It is found in mesic to wet forests on the Kona coast and in the Ka’u District of Hawai’i between 1,400–1,950 meters.