This species is found on lava flows, ash dunes and cinder beds or on exposed sites such as alpine or subalpine shrublands. It is less common in mature or stable plant communities such as grasslands, wet forests or bogs (Wagner, et al. 1990: 595).
| These are are very
conspicuous plants because they are often have bright clusters of red
berries.
The plants themselves are often short shrubs with aerial shoots that are stiffly erect. The plants range from 10 to 130 cm tall (reaching 200 cm tall on occasion) (Wagner, et al. 1990: 595). In dry, stressed areas, small adult individuals have above-ground parts that are often little more than a few short shoots that are covered with leaves and a large mass of ripe fruit. Other areas have rounded, bushy shrubs that are more woody and which are often found with masses of dead, leafless stems. The major stems grow mostly from the base (Stone and Pratt 1994: 141). |
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| This shrub is often a major common component of dry areas. It is also found on new lava flows (Wagner, et al. 1990: 595). | |
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| The leaves range from 1
to 3 cm long and wide and are persistent, ranging in shape from ovate
to obovate (rarely eliptical) (Wagner, et al. 1990: 595).
The older leaves are generally dull green. New leaves, growing at the tips of the stems, may be bright red. In some situation, the leaves may also have patches of red. The margins of the leaf may be sharply serrate to entire (Wagner, et al. 1990: 595). |
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| The bell-shaped flowers are highly
variable both in dimension and color.
The flower colors range from pink, red, yellow and yellow with red stripes to yellowish green. The corolla is urn-like to cylindrical, 8 to 12 m long (Wagner, et al. 1990: 595). The flowers often hang in what appear to be clusters (Wagner, et al. 1990: 595). On close inspection, many of the flowers appear to be waxy. |
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| The pictures below show the developing fruit. | |
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| The fruit (berries) range in color from red to reddish purple or dull black, or yellow, orangish yellow, yellow-green, or pink. They are 8 to 14 mm in diameter (Wagner, et al. 1990: 595). | |
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Distribution of the seeds is attributed to the nene (Nesochen sandvicensis) (Wagner, et al. 1990: 595).
The berries are edible. They may be harvested in the Park for personal (non-commercial) use with a limit of one quart per person per month.