Melicytus ramiflorus
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Leaves of Māhoe ( Melicytus ramiflorus ) |
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| Melicytus ramiflorus | ||||||||||||
| JR Forest. & G.Forst. |
Melicytus ramiflorus (Maori: Māhoe , English: Whitey-Wood ) is a species of plant from the violet family (Violaceae).
In previous studies, four subspecies of Melicytus ramiflorus were identified : subsp. ramiflorus in New Zealand , subsp. oblongifolius on Norfolk Island , subsp. fastigiata in Fiji and subsp. samoensis in Samoa and Tonga . Recent studies, primarily by Art Whistler, suggest that all subspecies should be viewed as species in their own right.
description
Melicytus ramiflorus grows as a tree that reaches heights of up to 10 meters and trunk diameters of up to 60 centimeters. It has whitish bark and brittle twigs.
The dark green, opposite branches are 5 to 15 inches long and 3 to 5 inches wide. Their edges are finely serrated, but this is less pronounced in younger plants.
The flowering period extends from late spring to summer. Melicytus ramiflorus is dioeciously segregated ( dioecious ). They appear in bundled inflorescences directly from the branches. The flowers, which are 3 to 4 millimeters in diameter, have a strong smell and are yellowish.
The bright purple berries when ripe are more or less spherical with a diameter of 3 to 4 millimeters.
The berries appear in late summer and autumn. The berries are eaten by various native bird species, including Kererū and Tui . Geckos of the genus Naultinus have been observed to supplement their insect diet with the berries.
Occurrence
Māhoe is common in low-lying forests in New Zealand and is often found in areas where the forest is regenerating, such as in the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary in Wellington.
literature
- L. Cockyane and E. Phillips Turner, 1943, The Trees of New Zealand . Government Printer.
- John Dawson and Rob Lucas, 2000, Nature Guide to the New Zealand Forest . Godwit.
- Donald R. Drake, Walter A. Whistler, Timothy J. Motley, and Clyde T. Imada, 1996, Rain Forest Vegetation of 'Eua Island, Kingdom of Tonga. New Zealand Journal of Botany , 1996, Vol. 34: 65-77.
- AL Poole and NM Adams, 1963, Trees and Shrubs of New Zealand . Government Printer.
