It was first isolated from stem rot occurring in a lobelioid plant in Hawaii, and may be endemic to the Hawaiian Islands.

[1] Colonies that are grown on malt agar for one month at 25°C appear cream-colored, butyrous, and smooth.

[1][2] The yeast has been observed to form two to four hat-shaped ascospores when grown for two weeks on 5% Difco malt extract agar.

[2] The yeast can ferment glucose and cellobiose, but not galactose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, raffinose or trehalose.

[1] The type sample was obtained in Hawaii, and in 2005, Marc-André Lachance described the species as possibly endemic to the Hawaiian Islands.