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Melicope puberula

(H.St.John) 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 small trees 3–10 m tall, new growth densely yellowish brown tomentose, becoming glabrate.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite. Blades narrowly elliptic to elliptic or elliptic–obovate, 6–17 cm long, 3–6 cm wide. Apex rounded, usually emarginate. Base cuneate to rounded. Upper surfaces glabrous; lower surfaces sparsely to moderately pilose; blades, coriaceous. Margins entire. Pimary lateral veins usually 14–18 pairs, connected by an arched vein 1–6 mm from margin, venation pinnate, lateral veins connected by an arched submarginal vein, higher order venation forming a reticulate pattern. Petioles 20–30 mm long. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers ca. 5 in tomentose, axillary cymes, peduncles 8–14 mm long, pedicels 8–9 mm long, bracts small, opposite. Flowers bisexual (perfect) or functionally unisexual (and then plants monoecious). Calyx of 4 sepals; sepals imbricate, pistillate flowers with sepals ovate, 24.5 mm long, appressed puberulent. Corolla of 4 petals, valvate, pistillate flowers petals deltate, ca. 6 mm long, glabrous. Stamens 8, in 2 whorls, distinct, reduced but always present in functionally pistillate flowers. Ovary superior, 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, pistillate flowers ovary puberulent; style ca. 2 mm long, sparsely pilose toward base.

Fruit: Capsules dark red; 14–20 mm wide; carpels connate ca. ½ their length; 7–10 mm long; exocarp sparsely to moderately puberulent; endocarp sparsely short–villous. the carpels dehiscing along the upper suture; exocarp. Seeds 1–2 per carpel; ca. 5–6 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: Apparently rare in mesic to wet forest.

Elevation Range: 1,070–1,220 m.

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Endemic

Island Status

Kaua'i Endemic

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Taxon 38: 121 (1989)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1202 (K [as Pelea puberula]); Hartley & Stone 1989:121 (COMBNOV, Syn. P. puberula = M. puberula)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Metrosideros - Cheirodendron - Dicranopteris montane wet forest and riparian vegetation with Kadua affinis, Psychotria mariniana, Coprosma kauaiensis, Syzyglum sandwicensis, Perrottetia sandwicensis, Myrsine wawraea, Scaevola procera, Broussaisia arguta, Labordia waialealea, Peperomia mem Preserved_Specimen Tree, 5 meters tall, with fruit, 3 trees in immediate area, mapped. Wood, K.R. 17501 Kauai BISH 2017-08-10
2 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Metrosideros-Cheirodendron-Dicranopteris wet forest and deeply carved drainage with riparian vegetation Kadua affinis, Psychotria mariniana, P. hexandra, Coprosma kauaiensis, Syzygium sandwicensis, Perrottetia sandwicensis, Dubautia raillardioides, D. laxa, Melicope wawrana, M. clusiifolia, Myrsine wawr Preserved_Specimen tree, 6 m tall, vigorous, in early fruit, ca. 20 trees observed in drainage, mapped Wood, K.R. 1170 Kauai BISH 2013-03-07
3 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Wet, Metrosideros dominated forest along N side of road. With Broussaisia, Diplazium and Cyanea. Preserved_Specimen Large tree of 20 ft. Leaves dark, semi-glossy green above, duller, paler green below. Flowers functionally pistillate; pedicel and calyx dark maroon; petals slightly paler with greenish-yellow apex; ovary dark maroon; stigma whitish-green; style yellowish-green. Flowers very attractive and slightly fragrant. Flynn, T.W. 3261 Kauai BISH 1989-01-02
4 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Montane Metrosideros-Dicranopteris forest w/ Psychotria hexandra, Syzygium sandwicensis, Broussaisia arguta, Cheirodendron. Preserved_Specimen 10 ft tall. Two trss in immdiate area, scattered on sub-gulch sides. Large to medium drk green lvs, slight anise scent, margins revolute. Stems red-brn with/ light brn hairs tow ward apex. Undrside of leaf w/ brn hairs. Lots of new inflorescence and immature bud. One small red red frt, pea-size, joined at base. Tangalin, N. 2404 Kauai BISH 2010-09-27
5 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Metrosideros-Cheirodendron-Dicranopteris wet forest and deeply carved drainage with riparian vegetation with Ilex anomala, Kadua affinis, Psychotria mariniana, P. hexadra, Coprosma kauaiensis, Elaeocarpus bifidus, Syzygium sandwicensis, Perrotteria sandwicensis, Dubautia raillardioides, D. laxa, Melicope Preserved_Specimen Tree, 5 meters tall, trunk dark brown with moss, a few fruit observed - green tinged red, mostly with young flowers, occasional. Wood, K.R. 16058 Kauai BISH 2014-09-02
6 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Narrow wet gulch w/ Selaginella and moss covered walls. Metrosideros- Dicranopteris - Cheirodendron Wet Montane forest with Syzygium, Leptecophylla, Melicope clusiifolia, Elaeocarpus, Psychotria, Viola wailenalenae, Stenogyne purpurea, Dianella sandwicensis, Tetraplasandra, Rubus hawaiensis, Scaevola, Broussaisia Preserved_Specimen Tree 20 ft tall. Lvs dk green, marings revolute, bark moss covered. Frt dark purple w/ hairs on outside. Leaf covered in light brown below, leaf convex. Stems w/ brown hairs. Seeds 1 - 2 per segment, black w white at attachment point. Tangalin, N. 2412 Kauai BISH 2010-10-08
7 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Ohia Lowland Wet Forest Metrosideros polymorpha var. dieteri, M. polymorpha var. glaberrima, Coprosma kauensis, Dubautia raillardioides, Dubautia laxa subsp. Hirsuta, Cheirodendron platyphyllum subsp. Kauaiensis, C. trigynum Preserved_Specimen A tree emerging from the surrounding uluhe, 12 feet tall and wide, on a steep east-facing slope, approximately 30 feet above stream. Megacarps are red, puberulent exocarp and endocarp. Leaves with strongly revolute margins, pubescent midrib with eyellow-brown hairs, undersides lightly pubescent, new growth densely so. Rogers, K. 790 Kauai BISH 2023-05-23
8 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Sadleria-Dubautia shrubland Machaerina angustifolia, Labordia waialeale, Metrosideros waialeale. Viola kauaiensis, Bidens forbesii, Plantago pachyphylla Preserved_Specimen Scattered trees, flowering, 4 meter ht Perlman, S. 24281 Kauai BISH 2015-01-08
9 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Relatively open wet forest with Metrosideros, Tetraplasandra and Cheirodendron. Preserved_Specimen Tree 4 m tall, leaves cupped, with faint odor when crushed. Fruits dark reddish purple. Lorence, D.H. 5993 Kauai BISH 1988-05-17
10 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details In wet forest on left (E) side of road. Preserved_Specimen Tree 35 dm x 10 m high. Capsules dark maroon color. Endocarp pubescent. Stone, B.C. 3402 Kauai BISH 1960-04-14
11 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Tree 35 ft tall; fr. dark magenta-maroon, endocarp pubescent Stone, B.C. 3402 Kauai BISH 1960-04-14
12 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Ohia (Metrosideros) Wet Forest. Metrosideros polymorpha var. microphylla, Syzygium sandwicense, Cheirodendron trigynum subsp. helleri, Cheirodendron platyphyllum subsp. kauaiensis, Diplazium sandwichianum, Sticherus owhyhensis, Meli Preserved_Specimen Trees, ~3m tall, in understory of Metrosideros on gently slope leading down to stream. Capsules are red, some buds also present, no open flowers. Leaves dark green above, lighter and hairier below, heavily galled or attacked by something making raised bumps on adaxial leaf surface. Three trees in immediate vicinity, at Williams, A.M. 796 Kauai BISH 2023-06-22
13 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Shrub 6 ft. Flynn, T.W. 532 Kauai BISH 1983-08-10
14 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Tree 35 ft tall; fr. dark magenta-maroon, endocarp pubescent. Stone, B.C. 3402 Kauai BISH 1960-04-14
15 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details In forest. Preserved_Specimen Small, open branched tree. Degener, O. 21632 Kauai BISH 1952-01-13
16 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Dubautia-Sadleria shrubland-fernlad w/Dubautia imbricata subsp. acronaea, D. knudsenii subsp. filiformis, D. laxa subsp. hirsuta, D. paleata, D. raillardioides. D. pauciflorula, Sadleria cyatheoides, S. pallida, S. souleyetiana, S. squ Preserved_Specimen Tree, 7 m tall, well branched and vigorous, corolla pink-red w/yellow margins on lobes, female, numerous(ca.10) trees in the area Wood, K.R. 16202 Kauai BISH 2015-01-08
17 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Preserved_Specimen Zimmerman, E.C. Kauai BISH 1937-07-21
18 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Metrosideros-Cheirodendron-Dicranopteris montane wet forest and riparian vegetation w/Kadua fffinis, Psychotria marinana, Coprosma kaualensis, Syzgium sandwicensis, Perrottetia sandwicensis, Myrsine wawraea, Scaevola prodcera, Broussaisia arguta, Labordia waialealae, Pereromia mem Preserved_Specimen Tree, 5 m tall, in early flower Wood, K.R. 16163 Kauai BISH 2014-12-10
19 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Off road In Metrosideros-Cheirodendron wet forest with Elaeocarpus bifidus, Myrsine lessertiana, Perrottetia sandwicensis, Cyrtandra longiflora, Cyrtandra kauaiensis, Psychotria greenwelliae, Diplazium sandwichianum, Ilex anomala, Kadua affinis, Sadleria, Myrsine linearifolia, Rubus argutus, Myrica faya, Hedychium gardnerianum. Preserved_Specimen Tree 4 m high with fl buds. Perlman, S. 21327 Kauai BISH 2009-01-08
20 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Metrosideros- Cheirodendron montane wet forest with sedges, grasses, and bryophytes. Epiphytes are common in the shrub layer. Associated plants; Adenophorus, Trematolobelia, Dubautia, Elaeocarpus, Dicranopteris, Vaccinium, Cheirodendron, Cyrtandra, Perrottetia, Mariscus, Sadleria, Coprosma, Hedyotis. Preserved_Specimen 3 m tall tree; diffuse; in flower; ca. 10 trees seen, 2-12 m tall. Wood, K.R. 1753 Kauai BISH 1992-03-30
21 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Metrosideros diverse montane mesic forest with: Labordia, Dubautia, Hedyotis, Eurya, Nothocestrum, Myrsine. Preserved_Specimen 7 m tall tree; in early bud and fruit; single tree in good vigor; multi trunked, 25 cm diameter at base. Wood, K.R. 1181 Kauai BISH 1991-08-29
22 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Metrosideros/Cheirodendron Montane Wet Forest w Melicope clusiifolia, Metrosideros polymorpha, Cheirodendron trigynum subsp. helleri, Clermontia fauriei, Vaccinium calycinum, Smilax melastomifolia, Coprosma elliptica, Athyrium microphyllum, Cibot [truncated]ium Preserved_Specimen A scrambling woody shrub roughly 3m tall, growing up through and leaning on the surrounding vegetation. New growth, leaves and stem, thickly covered with whitish-yellow fuzz, including on the abaxial surface of older leaves. Adaxial surfaces glabrous, leaves decussate, margins slightly revolute. Immature fruit green me[truncated] Williams, A.M. 45 Kauai BISH 2014-04-04
23 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Metrosideros- Cheirodendron montane wet forest with sedges, grasses, and bryophytes. Epiphytes are common in the shrub layer. Associated plants; Adenophorus, Trematolobelia, Dubautia, Elaeocarpus, Dicranopteris, Vaccinium, Cheirodendron, Cyrtandra, Perrottetia, Mariscus, Sadleria, Coprosma, Hedyotis. Preserved_Specimen 4 m tall tree; in flower; ca 10 tree seen, 2-12 m tall. Wood, K.R. 1754 Kauai BISH 1992-03-30
24 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Metrosideros-Cheirodendron-Dicranopteris montane wet forest, 5-7 m tall canopy, 70-90% closed, with adjacent riparian vegetation with Melicope clusiifolia, Kadua affinis, Scaevola glabra, Broussaisia arguta, Vaccinium calycina, Syzygium sandwicensis, Astelia argyrocoma, Cibotium glaucum, Leptecophylla tameiameiae, Smilax melast Preserved_Specimen tree, 5 m tall, with mature fruit, in forested slope below ridge, ca. 5 trees in general area, seed collected Wood, K.R. 15310 Kauai BISH 2012-12-13
25 Melicope puberula Locality redacted. Contact Bishop Museum Botany Department for details Wet forest dominated by Metrosideros polymorpha with Cheirodendron, Scaevola and Diplazium. Preserved_Specimen Tree of 20 ft. Leaves dark, mat green above, whitish-green below. Calyx lobes dark maroon, petals reddish. Fruit dark maroon, pedicel maroon. Flynn, T.W. 3283 Kauai BISH 1989-03-06
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