▁This ▁sub sh r ub ▁grows ▁ 1 5 ▁to ▁ 4 0 ▁cent im eters ▁tall ▁and ▁be ars ▁narrow ▁leaves ▁and ▁green ish ▁white ▁flowers . ▁The ▁roots ▁are ▁sp ind le - sh aped ▁and ▁sometimes ▁grow ▁exposed ▁above ground , ▁which ▁may ▁help ▁the ▁plant ▁surv ive . ▁ ▁Distribution ▁and ▁habitat ▁This ▁plant ▁grows ▁on ▁the ▁la va ▁and ▁ash ▁substr ates ▁of ▁the ▁vol cano es ▁of ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁Hawai i . ▁It ▁grows ▁at ▁K ī la ue a , ▁Ma una ▁Lo a , ▁Ma una ▁Ke a , ▁and ▁H ual ā la i . ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁sparse ▁fl ora ▁in ▁the ▁south west ▁r ift ▁zone ▁of ▁K ila ue a , ▁which ▁includes ▁such ▁plants ▁as ▁Cop ros ma ▁er node o ides ▁( p ilo ), ▁Dub aut ia ▁c ili ol ata ▁( na ena e ), ▁Le p te c oph yl la ▁t ame i ame iae ▁( p uk ia we ), ▁Met ros ider os ▁polym or pha ▁( ʻ ō hi ʻ a ▁le h ua ), ▁Ne ph role pis ▁ex alt ata ▁( n ian ia u , ▁ik up uk up u ), ▁Sad ler ia ▁sp . ▁( am au ), ▁and ▁V acc in ium ▁ret icul atum ▁( ō hel o ▁ ʻ ai ). ▁A ▁recent ▁estimate ▁is ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 2 2 ▁populations ▁containing ▁ 8 3 6 0 ▁individuals .