Cyrtandra kohalae is a shrub about 1–2 m tall with few-branched, rounded to angular stems that are pubescent with multicellular hairs or glabrate. The leaves are opposite on the upper 3–4 nodes, the pair unequal but symmetrical, elliptic, 12–27 × (4–)5–8.5 cm, acuminate to long-acuminate at the tip and cuneate at the base; upper surfaces are sparsely hirtellous, lower surfaces sparsely to moderately velvety short-pilose; blades chartaceous with serrate margins; petioles 3.5–7.5 cm, sometimes clasping the stem or perfoliate; stipules absent. The flowers (1–2) are arranged in axillary cymes, the axes moderately appressed, brown-pilose; peduncles 15–25 mm; pedicels unequal, 10–20 mm (to ~20–30 mm in fruit); bracts linear-lanceolate, distinct or occasionally connate, 11–25 mm. The calyx is green, nearly actinomorphic (radially symmetric), 11–20 mm, cleft nearly to the base into linear lobes that are moderately brown, short-pilose, and glabrous within except for short pilosity in the upper third, deciduous or persistent in fruit. The corolla is usually bilabiate, white, with a subcylindrical straight or curved tube 10–12 mm long and ~3–4 mm wide, pilose or glabrous; upper lip 2-lobed (lobes broadly ovate, ~3–4 × 4–5 mm), lower lip 3-lobed (lobes very broadly elliptic, ~6 × 7 mm). Of five stamens, the two upper are fertile with coherent anthers at the corolla throat; the others are staminodial. The ovary is superior, oblong-ovoid, 2-carpellate, 1-celled with parietal placentation; ovules numerous; style ~3 mm, glabrous; stigma capitate, 2-lobed. The fruit is a white, ovoid berry ~1 cm long, often tipped by the persistent stylar beak, with numerous minute ellipsoid, reticulate seeds. It occurs in wet forests between 770–1,200 meters.