Dubautia reticulata is a large shrub or tree that can grow up to 8 meters tall and have a central trunk up to 50 cm in diameter. It eventually becomes many-branched and somewhat twiggy, with young branches that are slender and either pubescent or hispidulous. The leaves are opposite, spreading, and oblong-elliptic to oblong-lanceolate or oblong-oblanceolate in shape, measuring 3-7(-10) cm long and 4-13(-20) mm wide. They are usually 5-7-nerved and often exhibit an irregularly impressed-reticulate pattern on the upper surface. Both surfaces are typically appressed or spreading hispid and glandular, especially on the lower surface, though they may occasionally be glabrate. The margins are usually 1-5-denticulate apically, ciliate or ciliolate, and usually revolute. The leaf apex is acute, and the base is typically weakly clasping. The flower heads, numbering around 5-100, are usually cymosely arranged in compact to somewhat lax, typically paniculate inflorescences that are 1.5-15 cm long and 1.5-13 cm wide. The peduncles are white villous or hispid below and progressively more glandular above, with ultimate ones seldom exceeding 5 mm in length. The receptacle is flat to low-convex or subconical, with a false involucre consisting of a single series of 4-8 peripheral, strongly connate receptacular bracts that are usually 5-7 mm long, glandular, and typically hispidulous or villous, though occasionally glabrate and eglandular. Each head contains 4-12 florets with yellowish-orange corollas that are usually 3.5-5.5 mm long, glabrous, and eglandular. The pappus comprises 16-21 narrowly linear, ascending-setose bristles, usually 3-5.5 mm long. The achenes are usually 4-6 mm long, hispid above and glabrate below. It occurs in wet forests, dry forests, and alpine areas between 1,575 – 2,300 meters.