Cyrtandra menziesii is a shrub reaching heights of (1–)2–5 meters, typically with many-branched stems that are rounded to angular and either pubescent with multicellular hairs or glabrate. The leaves are simple and arranged oppositely or in whorls of (3)4 per node on the upper 3–11 nodes. Leaf pairs are usually subequal and symmetrical or nearly so, with blades that are elliptic to oblanceolate, occasionally broadly elliptic, measuring (7–)10–27 cm in length and (2.3–)3–7(–8.7) cm in width. The leaf apex is acuminate to caudate, and the base is attenuate. Upper surfaces are sparsely appressed hirtellous, while lower surfaces range from glabrous to sparsely puberulent along the principal veins, sometimes more broadly puberulent. The leaf texture is firm–chartaceous, with coarsely serrate or rarely serrulate margins. Petioles are 1–7.7 cm long, puberulent to occasionally brown-pilose with appressed to spreading hairs, and sometimes clasp the stem or are perfoliate. Stipules are absent. The flowers are bisexual (perfect) and borne in relatively congested umbelliform cymes of (2–)5–10 flowers arising from the leaf axils or nodes just below the leaves. Inflorescences are sparse to moderately puberulent, occasionally short–pilose with dark brown hairs that are appressed to spreading. Peduncles are relatively stout and measure 5–20(–28) mm long, while pedicels are slender at the base and enlarge above, measuring 10–22 mm long and extending to 20–30 mm in fruit. Bracts are linear–elliptic to linear–oblanceolate, 7–10 mm long, and may be distinct or occasionally connate. The calyx is nearly actinomorphic (radially symmetric), green, and 7–15 mm long, cleft nearly to the base into 2–5 (6) lobes that are linear and glabrate to moderately puberulent or short–pilose externally, and glabrous internally. Calyx lobes are deciduous or persistent in fruit. The corolla is usually bilabiate and white, with a subcylindrical tube measuring 9–12 mm in length and approximately 4 mm in diameter. The tube may be straight or curved and is pilose, especially in bud. The upper lip consists of two broadly ovate to suborbicular lobes approximately 4 mm long and 4.5 mm wide, while the lower lip has three suborbicular lobes about 4.5–4.8 mm long and 5 mm wide. The five stamens are inserted about halfway up the corolla tube; only the two upper stamens are fertile, while the others are staminodial with abortive anthers. Fertile anthers are coherent and positioned in the throat of the corolla tube, are dithecal, and open by longitudinal slits or occasionally by apical pores. The ovary is superior, oblong–ovoid, and 2-carpellate but functionally 1-celled due to parietal placentation with two ± intruded placentas that are rarely joined to divide the ovary. Ovules are numerous, anatropous, and glabrous, with a rounded apex or a stylar beak. The style is 1–3 mm long and either glabrous or with a few scattered hairs, and the stigma is capitate and 2-lobed, with elliptic lobes. The fruit is a fleshy or firm white berry, subglobose in shape, 1.3–1.6 cm long, and typically tipped by a persistent stylar beak. Seeds are numerous, ellipsoid, and minute (~0.5 mm long), with a reticulate surface. It is found in mesic to wet forests between 530-1,250 meters.