Melicope makahae

(B.C.Stone) T.G.Hartley & B.C.Stone (1989)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Sapindales Family: Rutaceae Genus: Melicope

alani, alani kuahiwi

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Shrubs or shrubby trees up to 3 m tall.

Stems: New growth and young branches densely puberulent.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite. Blades narrowly ovate to elliptic, 9.5–12 cm long, 1.5–5 cm wide. Apex bluntly acute or slightly rounded. Base cuneate. Upper surfaces glabrous; lower surfaces densely puberulent with strongly appressed, extremely fine hairs, these mixed with a fine white waxy scurf, and glandular punctate, green on upper surface; lower surfaces grayish green, coriaceous. Margins usually revolute, margins entire. Primary lateral veins usually 8–12 pairs, slightly raised on lower surface, connected by an arched vein 1–5 mm from margin, venation pinnate, lateral veins connected by an arched submarginal vein, higher order venation forming a reticulate pattern. Petioles 10–22 mm long, densely puberulent. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers 1–7 in densely grayish puberulent cymes, peduncles 10–30 mm long, pedicels 5–10 mm long, bracteoles lanceolate, 1.5–3 mm long, densely grayish puberulent, bracts small, opposite. Calyx of 4 sepals; sepals ovate, 2.5–3 mm long, sparsely to densely grayish puberulent, imbricate. Corolla of 4 petals, valvate; petals deltate, ca. 5 mm long, densely puberulent on both sides or only externally. Stamens rudimentary in pistillate flowers, Stamens 8, in 2 whorls, distinct, reduced but always present in functionally pistillate flowers. Ovary superior, glabrous, ovary 4-celled and 4-lobed, carpels connate, only slightly distinct at apex to almost entirely distinct; ovules 2 per cell, hemitropous, 1 ascending; style 1, terminating in 4 short stigmatic branches.

Fruit: Fruit dark green; 20–24 mm wide; of distinct follicles 10–15 mm long; exocarp and endocarp glabrous; the carpels dehiscing along the upper suture; exocarp. Seeds 2 per follicle; ca. 5 mm long; glossy black when ripe; crustaceous; ovoid; sometimes angled from compression; embryo straight in fleshy endosperm; radicle short; cotyledons compressed; ovate; putamen brown; warty.

Ploidy:

Habitat: Occurring in mesic forest.

Elevation Range: 670–1,220 m.

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Endemic

Island Status

O'ahu Endemic

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Taxon 38: 121 (1989)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1194 (O [as Pelea makahae]); Hartley & Stone 1989:121 (COMBNOV, Syn. P. makahae = M. makahae)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Melicope makahae Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Takeuchi, W.N. 2110 Oahu BISH 1985-03-31
2 Melicope makahae Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Takeuchi, W.N. 2117 Oahu BISH 1985-03-31
3 Melicope makahae Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Pearsall, G.A. Oahu BISH 1954-10-21
4 Melicope makahae Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details On very steep slope of ridge leading down into Makaha Valley, from well known Pinnacle Rocks w/ Pleomele forbesii, Cyanea membranacea, Schinus invading. Scattered trees around W. end of Saddle area especially ner Dome shaped ridge by Pinnacle rocks Preserved_Specimen Perlman, S. 5061 Oahu BISH 1987-01-08
5 Melicope makahae Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Pearsall, G.A. Oahu BISH 1954-10-21
6 Melicope makahae Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Wooded slope Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 17615 Oahu BISH 1935-03-31
7 Melicope makahae Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Near crestline in Metrosideros community Preserved_Specimen Takeuchi, W.N. 2130 Oahu BISH 1985-03-31
8 Melicope makahae Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Under a low stature Acacia - Metrosideros camopy Preserved_Specimen Takeuchi, W.N. 13 Oahu BISH 1983-12-11
9 Melicope makahae Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Wooded slope Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 17615 Oahu BISH 1935-03-31
10 Melicope makahae Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Growing ner the Hesperomannia site Preserved_Specimen 2122 Oahu BISH 1985-03-31
11 Melicope makahae Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Growing near the Hesperomannia site Preserved_Specimen Takeuchi, W.N. 2122 Oahu BISH 1985-03-31
12 Melicope makahae Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Botanically productive pocket of mesic forest; leaning on Saapindus, growing alongside Eugenia reinwardtiana 3255 Preserved_Specimen Takeuchi, W.N. 3257 Oahu BISH 1987-01-18
13 Melicope makahae Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Near Rollandia longiflora colony w/ Cyanea membranacea, Psychotria, Ohia, Syzygium, Guava, Maile Preserved_Specimen Perlman, S. 5474 Oahu BISH 1987-03-24