[5] It was first described by William J. Hooker and George Arnott Walker-Arnott in 1832 in the Botany of Captain Beechey's Voyage...[6][3] and was given the specific epithet, gaudichaudii, to honour Charles Gaudichaud-Beaupré.

[7] It flowers year round with weakly fragrant blossoms that vary in colour from dark yellow, brownish-yellow to pinkish.

[8] It flourishes in dry to mesic forests, which sets it apart from other mountain naupaka that tend to inhabit damper areas at higher altitudes.

The plantsʻs story has many variations, but the main points entail a young man and woman falling in love only to become separated.

[1] The plant is known for being resistant to pests, but can be easily overwhelmed by ant infestations, which attract scale bugs, aphids, and other insects that suck away at its nutrients.