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Melicope orbicularis

(Hillebr.) 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: Small trees to 4–5 m tall.

Stems: New growth yellowish brown tomentose, becoming glabrate.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite. Blades suborbicular to broadly elliptic, sometimes elliptic or elliptic–obovate; 5–77 cm long, (2.5–)4–10 cm wide. Apex rounded and emarginate. Base rounded to broadly cuneate. Upper surfaces sparsely puberulent to glabrate; lower surfaces of young leaves short–pilose, usually becoming sparsely so to glabrate, midrib ± persistently pilose; blades thick, coriaceous. Margins entire. Primary lateral veins usually 6–15 pairs, usually connected by a vein 1–3 mm from margin, venation pinnate, lateral veins connected by an arched submarginal vein, higher order venation forming a reticulate pattern. Petioles 11–30 mm long. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers (3)5–15 in densely to moderately puberulent, axillary cymes, peduncles 5–25 mm long, pedicels 5–10 mm long, bracts small, opposite. Calyx of 4 sepals; sepals broadly ovate, 2.5–3 mm long, densely appressed puberulent, imbricate. Corolla of 4 petals; petals deltate, 5–6 mm long, densely appressed puberulent externally, glabrous within, valvate. Stamens 8, in 2 whorls, distinct, reduced but always present in functionally pistillate flowers. Ovary superior, tomentose, 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: Capsules 20–25 mm wide; carpels connate ca. ⅓ their length; 10–12 mm long; exocarp puberulent to tomentulose; sometimes very sparsely so; endocarp puberulent; sometimes sparsely so. the carpels dehiscing along the upper suture; exocarp. Seeds 1–2 per cell; 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 to wet forest.

Elevation Range: 1,070–1430 m.

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Endemic

Island Status

Maui Endemic

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Taxon 38: 121 (1989)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1197 (EM, WM [as Pelea orbicularis]); Hartley & Stone 1989:121 (COMBNOV, Syn. P. orbicularis = M. orbicularis)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details with Metrosideros, Cheirodendron, Dicranopteris, Musa, Colocasia, Cordyline, Thelypteris stegnogrammoides; wet forest Preserved_Specimen 4 m tree, moderately branched; stems medium brown Wood, K.R. 6218 Maui BISH 1997-04-22
2 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Vegetation: Metrosideros, Cheirodendron, Coprosma, Melicope, Ilex, Myrsine, Dubautia, Rubus, Sadleria, Vaccinium, Dryopteris, Athyrium, Uncinia, Polystichum, Oreogramittis, Elaphoglossum, Asplenium. Preserved_Specimen Locally common small trees. Oppenheimer, H.L. 101109 Maui BISH 2011-10-12
3 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details rain forest Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 2369 Maui BISH 1927-06-18
4 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details with Metrosideros polymorpha, Cheirodendron trigynum, Broussaisia arguta, Palhinhaea cernua, Vaccinium dentatum, Sadleria pallida, Elaphoglossum wawrae, Peperomia globulanthera, Melicope clusiifolia, Cibotium glaucum; ohia olapa montane wet forest Preserved_Specimen 2.5 m tree, profusely branched; 100% foliated with copiuous flower buds; crushed leaves smelled of lemon Meidell, J.S. 130 Maui BISH 1996-08-19
5 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Wet koa-ohia forest with other native trees and native shrub-matted-fern understory. Preserved_Specimen Higashino, P.K. 9419 Maui BISH 1980-07-22
6 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details On dry mountain Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 8554 Maui BISH 1927-07-02
7 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details shade Preserved_Specimen viny shrub Hobdy, R.W. 1844 Maui BISH 1983-11-06
8 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Occasional around bog margin. Wind swept ridge and steep slopes; open bog community of Metrosideros polymorpha and Machaerina angustifolia and low canopy Metrosideros wet forest w. Broussaisia, Cheirodendron, Clermontia, Coprosma, Dubautia, Ilex, Melicope, Myrsine, and Psychotria Preserved_Specimen Tree, 2-3m tall Wood, K.R. 14762 Maui BISH 2011-09-01
9 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details rain forest Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 8558 Maui BISH 1927-06-26
10 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Metrosideros-Cheirodendron montane wet forest w/ Clermontia grandiflora, Dubautia laxa, Peperomia eekana, Melicope clusiifolia, Astelia menziesiana, Sadleria pallida, Dryopteris glabra. Preserved_Specimen 3 m tall; lemon scent. Wood, K.R. 2740 Maui BISH 1993-09-14
11 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details understory Preserved_Specimen 4 m tree, much branched Hobdy, R.W. 3306 Maui BISH 1991-06-04
12 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Within an `Ohia Mixed Bog. Assoc. vegetation: Coprosma ochracea, Metrosideros polymorpha, Cheirodendron trigynum, Styphelia tameiameiae, Myrsine vaccinioides, Vaccinium calycinum, Argyroxiphium grayanum, Athyrium microphyllum, Dryopteris glabra. Preserved_Specimen Meidell, J.S. 244 Maui BISH 1997-10-17
13 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Metrosideros-Cheirodendron montane wet forest w/ Clermontia grandiflora, Dubautia laxa, Peperomia eekana, Melicope clusiifolia, Astelia menziesiana, Sadleria pallida, Dryopteris glabra. Preserved_Specimen 3 m tall, diffusely branching tree; lemon scent. Wood, K.R. 2739 Maui BISH 1993-09-14
14 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details summit bogs; 50% cover of Metrosideros polymorpha, ~25-50 cm high, 15% cover of Argyroxiphium grayanum, 5% Oreobolus furcatus; Coprosma ochracea, Leptecophylla tameiameiae, Vaccinium dentatum, Geranium hillebrandii, Lycopodiella cernua, Carex montis-eeka, Deschampsia nubigena, Dichanthelium cynodon, Dichanthelium hillebrandianum Preserved_Specimen 4 m tree; branches covered in red brown moss; flower; fruit megacarp, endocarp and exocarp glabrous Wood, K.R. 11501 Maui BISH 2005-08-24
15 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Vegetation: Metrosideros, Myrsine, Cheirodendron, Coprosma, Vaccinium, Leptecophylla, Ilex, Rubus, Broussaisia, Labordia, Dryopteris, Diplazium, Sadleria, Athyrium, Asplenium, Elaphoglossum, Peperomia, Coniogramme, Pneumatopteris, Uncinia, Stenogyne, Carex, Lycopodium, Smilax, Astelia Preserved_Specimen Occasional shrubs to small trees 3 m tall Oppenheimer, H.L. 61015 Maui BISH 2010-06-10
16 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details wet ohia forest; with native trees and shrubs, treeferns Preserved_Specimen 1.5 m Higashino, P.K. 9310 Maui BISH 1980-06-29
17 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details wooded ridge Preserved_Specimen 15' tree St.John, H. 10198 Maui BISH 1930-02-05
18 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details forest Preserved_Specimen Meebold, A. 10547 Maui BISH 1935-10-01
19 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details wet koa ohia forest; with native trees and shrubs, treeferns; on ridge Preserved_Specimen Higashino, P.K. 9419 Maui BISH 1980-07-22
20 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Metrosideros, Ilex, Cheirodendron trigynum, Broussaisia arguta, Perrottetia sandwicensis, Rubus macraei, Pipturus, Cibotium glaucum, Thelypteris sandwicensis Preserved_Specimen 4-6 m; trunk light brown, branches stiffly ascending mottled with white lichens and green moss Wood, K.R. 6610 Maui BISH 1997-08-14
21 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details In a gully. Preserved_Specimen Hobdy, R.W. 3047 Maui BISH 1989-06-07
22 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details wet koi, ohia forest; with native trees and shrubs, treeferns Preserved_Specimen 5 m x 6 cm tree Warshauer, F.R. Maui BISH 1980-06-27
23 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details In rainforest. Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 2371 Maui BISH 1927-08-29
24 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Bog-wet forest: Metrosideros, Myrsine vaccinodies, Myrsine lessertiana, Ilex, Melicope clusiifolia, Letecophylla, Palhinhaea service, Coprosma sp., Vaccinium calycium, Vaccinium angustifolia, Athyrium microphylum, Dryopteris, Rhynchospora chinesis, Viola mavinesis, Keyssaria maviensis, Keyssaria maviensis Preserved_Specimen Henderson, R. 84 Maui BISH 2025-02-24
25 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details In rainforest. Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 2371 Maui BISH 1927-08-29
26 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details with Metrosideros polymorpha, Cheirodendron trigynum, Broussaisia arguta, Palhinhaea cernua, Vaccinium dentatum, Sadleria pallida, Elaphoglossum wawrae, Peperomia globulanthera, Melicope clusiifolia, Cibotium glaucum; ohia olapa montane wet forest Preserved_Specimen 2.5 m tree, profusely branched; 100% foliated with copiuous flower buds; crushed leaves smelled of lemon Meidell, J.S. 130 Maui BISH 1996-08-19
27 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details dense rain forest Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 8556 Maui BISH 1927-07-16
28 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details steep gully to saddle ridge, in mesic Metrosideros scrub forest Preserved_Specimen 5 m tree; leaves dark green, sepals and petals light green, very fragrant; fruit green Higashino, P.K. 943 Maui BISH 1975-06-21
29 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Metrosideros-Cheirodendron wet foret, 8-12 m tall canopy, riparian w/saturated talus & seeping, vertical basalt walls, steep Dicranopteris banks. Understory w/Touchardia, Broussaisia, Coprosma pubescens, Boehmeria, Pipturus, Diplazium, Cyrtandra spp., Kadua spp., Cyanea scabra, Gunnera. Preserved_Specimen tree, 6 m tall, broad spread of crown, with early flower, old capsules, uncommon Wood, K.R. 13476 Maui BISH 2009-02-17
30 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details In 4m Metrosideros montane wet forest. Assoc. vegetation: Metrosideros polymorpha, Cheirodendron trigynum, Myrsine lessertiana, Broussaisia arguta, Coprosma ochracea, Athyrium microphyllum, Peperomia eekana, Clermontia grandiflora, Dryopteris subbipinnata, Sticherus owhyhensis. Preserved_Specimen Meidell, J.S. 186 Maui BISH 1997-03-19
31 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details In degraded Montane Mesic Forest. Vegetation: Acacia, Metrosideros, Cheirodendron, Fraxinus, Hedychium, Coprosma, Diplazium, Alyxia, Platydesma, Clermontia, Carex, Rubus, Asplenium, Dryopteris, Peperomia. Preserved_Specimen Oppenheimer, H.L. 110735 Maui BISH 2007-11-15
32 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Bog-west forest: Metrosideros, Myrsine vaccinoides, Myrsine lessertiana, Ilex, Melicope clusiifolia, Leptecophylla, Palhinhaea service, Coprosma sp., Vaccinium calycium, Vaccinium dentatum, Oreobolus furcatus, Macarenga angustifolia, Athyrium microphyllum, Dryoteris glabra, Platago pachyphylla, Juncus planifolius, Phynchospora chinesis, Viola mavinesis Preserved_Specimen Sprawling srubs growing in bog margins. Henderson, R. 83 Maui BISH 2025-02-24
33 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Associated vegetation: Metrosideros, Cheirodendron, Ilex, Melicope, Myrsine, Leptecophylla, Vaccinium, Rubus, Dryopteris, Athyrium, Asplenium, Smilax, Peperomia, Elaphoglossum, Astelia, Coprosma, Hedyotis, Uncinia, Peperomia. Preserved_Specimen Small trees to 3m tall. Oppenheimer, H.L. 60606 Maui BISH 2006-06-03
34 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details wet koi, ohia forest; with native trees and shrubs, treeferns Preserved_Specimen 14 m x 15-20 cm tree Warshauer, F.R. 2741 Maui BISH 1980-06-29
35 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details with Metrosideros, Coprosma, Myrsine vaccinioides, Geranium humile, Rhynchospora, Viola maviensis, Lobelia gloria-montis, Argyroxiphium caliginis, Plantago pachyphylla, Melicope, Cheirodendron, Vaccinium Preserved_Specimen with flowers and fruit Perlman, S. 6890 Maui BISH 1987-11-14
36 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 8549 Maui BISH 1927-07-23
37 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 2374 Maui BISH 1927-08-19
38 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Hobdy, R.W. 3305 Maui BISH 1991-06-04
39 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Lydgate, J.M. 110 Maui BISH
40 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Hillebrand, W.B. Maui BISH 1870-08-01
41 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Munro, G.C. 611 Maui BISH 1916-09-25
42 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 89 Maui BISH 1910-06-01
43 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 458 Maui BISH 1917-09-25
44 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 8184 Maui BISH 1910-08-24
45 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 8154 Maui BISH 1910-08-21
46 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 8154 Maui BISH 1910-08-21
47 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 41 Maui BISH 1910-05-01
48 Melicope orbicularis Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Lydgate, J.M. 110 Maui BISH
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