Distribution    
In the Hawaiian Islands, endemic to Kaua`i, O`ahu, Moloka`i, Lana`i, Maui, Hawai`i.

Habit
Shrubs 1-3(-4) m tall; stems erect to sometimes sprawling, few-branched, young parts hispid, quickly becoming glabrate.

Leaves
Leaves dark green, chartaceous, ovate to lanceolate, elliptic-lanceolate, or sometimes elliptic (primarily Mauna Loa, Hawai`i), 16-62 cm long, (5-)7.5-22 cm wide, upper surface glabrous, cystoliths prominent, lower surface glabrous to sparsely or moderately short-hirtellous or hirtellous, especially along the veins, the hairs somewhat appressed to spreading, margins crenate, more conspicuously so in upper 1/2, apex acute or acuminate, base cuneate to rounded or subcordate, petioles (1-)3.5-23 cm long, glabrous or appressed to spreading hirtellous on lower side, stipules 4-7 cm long, glabrous to appressed hirtellous. 

Flowers
Flower clusters arranged on repeatedly branching cymes with 1 branch suppressed and the middle cluster sessile; staminate flowers in inflorescences 2-13 cm long, each cluster 1-2 cm in diameter, calyx 2-3.5 mm long, the lobes hooded; pistillate flowers in inflorescences 0.5-2(-7) cm long, each cluster 0.4-1 cm in diameter, calyx 1.5-2 mm long, the lobes hooded, the outer 2 slightly larger than others, margins glandular denticulate, becoming fleshy, forming an orange, ellipsoid, berry-like fruit ca. 3.5 mm long. 

Fruit
Achenes ovoid, compressed, 1.5-2.2 mm long, beaked.