Formerly, Codonoboea elata was placed in Chirita (now known as Microchirita). As a result of recent phylogenetic studies, this species was transferred to the genus Codonoboea and its name became Codonoboea elata. In Latin, elatus mean high, which refers to the habitat because this species is found in lower montane forest from 700-1000 m altitude in deep shade often on earth slopes above the streams. Codonoboea elata is an endemic species in Peninsular Malaysia and has been found in two localities in Perak, Bukit Larut and Gunung Bubu.

Codonoboea elata is a bushy perennial herb that branches from the base. It has green, quadrangular stems up to 50 cm becomes woody and may or may not be hairs. The leaves are opposite and decussate with a green and sometimes a maroon petiole. Codonoboea elata has an ovate, sometimes elliptic or broadly elliptic lamina, pale green to yellowish above and whitish green beneath. The base is rounded or cuneate, sometimes unequal and the margin is always serrulate.

Its inflorescences are cymose, axillary with two per axil, each with up to six flowers. The corollas are reddish to dark purple and narrowly infundibular. Codonoboea elata has five corolla lobes that are much darker than the corolla tube with a dark yellow patch inside the throat. The outside of the corolla is slightly hairy, and narrow in the lower part. It has two white stamens, with curved filaments and the anthers are fused face-to-face. In addition, there are three staminodes. The pistil is pale green to cream, densely pubescent with predominantly eglandular reddish hairs. It has a red or maroon stigma. The capsules are cylindrical, green and very slender, covered with reddish hairs and contain many white seeds.