Barleria lancifolia is an unarmed perennial, sometimes described as a shrublet, i.e. borderline of being woody. It has opposite leaves and light blue to mauve, sometimes nearly white flowers. The leaves are folded along the main axis, lanceolate in shape with entire margins. Leaves have very short petioles (stalks) and young leaves are hairy.

The flowers are funnel-shaped with long tubes. The corolla is two-lipped; the upper one being four-lobed and the lower one is entire (www.plantzafrica.com).