It produces fragrant greenish yellow flowers each about 1.3 centimeters long.

[1][2] This shrub only grows in cinder cones within a 2.4-kilometer radius area on the island of Hawaii.

[2] The plants are located on the summits or exposed slopes of the dormant cones, where it is windy and foggy.

[2] The plants' habitat is surrounded by rangeland grazed by cattle.

The species is threatened by non-native plants, which in turn increase the risk of severe fires, which damage the habitat.