Cyrtandra kealiae subsp. kealiae is a shrub that reaches 0.6 to 2.5 meters in height. The stems are branched, rounded to angular, and are either pubescent with multicellular hairs or become glabrate over time. The leaves are simple and arranged oppositely on the upper 3 to 9 nodes. Leaf pairs can be subequal or unequal in size, with blades that are elliptic to elliptic–obovate, ranging from (4.5–)11–30 cm long and (1.7–)5–12 cm wide. Leaf apices are acuminate, and the bases are attenuate to cuneate, occasionally subtruncate. The upper surfaces are sparsely to moderately pilose, while the lower surfaces are moderately to densely covered in yellowish-brown velvety hairs, giving them a soft texture. Blades are chartaceous in texture with margins that are serrulate, denticulate, or nearly entire, often slightly revolute. The venation is slightly impressed on the upper surface and raised on the lower surface. Petioles measure (0.8–)3–5(–10) cm in length. Stipules are absent. The flowers are bisexual (perfect) and borne solitarily in the leaf axils. The peduncles are 0–6 mm long, with pedicels 0–5 mm long and inconspicuous lanceolate bracts that are 6–14 mm long. The calyx is 2–5(6)-lobed, slightly zygomorphic or nearly actinomorphic, and tubular–funnelform or urceolate in shape, measuring 14–25 mm in length and cleft approximately ¼(–⅔) of its length. Both calyx surfaces are densely covered in shaggy, villous hairs, and the lobes are linear–subulate to narrowly deltate, measuring approximately 3–10 mm in length. These calyx lobes may be persistent or deciduous in fruit. The corolla is typically bilabiate and white, with a cylindrical tube that is straight or curved, measuring 14–20 mm in length and approximately 4–5 mm in diameter, and also densely covered with shaggy villous hairs. The upper lip has two lanceolate lobes (3.5–5 mm long, 1.5–3 mm wide), while the lower lip has three lobes (4–5 mm long, ~2–2.5 mm wide), either lanceolate or ovate. Of the five stamens, only the two upper ones are fertile, while the remaining three are staminodial and often have abortive anthers. Fertile anthers are coherent and situated in the corolla throat, dithecal, and dehisce by longitudinal slits or sometimes apical pores. The ovary is superior, glabrous, oblong–ovoid, 2-carpellate, but 1-celled due to parietal placentation with two ± intruded placentas that may rarely fuse centrally. Ovules are numerous and anatropous. The style is about 3 mm long and glabrous, with a capitate, 2-lobed stigma, whose lobes are typically elliptic. The fruit is a fleshy or firm, broadly ovoid–ellipsoid berry, 1–2 cm long, puberulent, and enclosed by a persistent calyx that splits open at maturity. Seeds are numerous, minute (<1 mm), ellipsoid, and have a reticulate surface. It is found in scattered populations in mesic valleys and diverse mesic forests between 275-450 meters.