It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.

These populations are found on steep slopes and dripping wet cliffs in forests dominated by Metrosideros polymorpha and Acacia koa.

[4] The fact that it is limited to steep, inaccessible habitat suggests that like many other Kauaian plants, this grass has been eliminated from all other habitat types by feral goats, one of the major threats to the species.

[3] Other plants in the habitat include ahinahina (Artemisia australis), kookoolau (Bidens sandwicensis), iliau (Wilkesia gymnoxiphium), emoloa (Eragrostis variabilis), haiwale (Crytandra wawrae), heau (Exocarpos luteolus), kamakahala (Geniostoma helleri), kului (Nototrichium sp.

), manono (Hedyotis terminalis), mokihana (Melicope anisata), pelea (Melicope barbigera), alaa (Planchonella sandwicensis), lama (Diospyros sandwicensis), kopiko (Psychotria mariniana), Kaua’i wild coffee (Psychotria greenwelliae), and kokio (Kokia kauaiensis).