Melicope ovalis

Melicope ovalis, the wild pelea or Hana melicope, is a species of tree in the family Rutaceae. It is endemic to Maui, of the Hawaiian Islands.

Melicope ovalis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Melicope
Species:
M. ovalis
Binomial name
Melicope ovalis

Distribution

This tree is only present in Kīpahulu Valley in Haleakalā National Park on Maui.[2] It is threatened by the degradation of its habitat due to the presence of feral pigs and introduced species of plants.[2] It is threatened by habitat loss. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States. Like other Hawaiian Melicope, this species is known as alani.[3]

Description

The Melicope ovalis tree grows up to 5 metres (16 ft) in height. The leathery oval leaves grow up to 16 centimeters long by 10 wide. They have a scent similar to anise when crushed.[4]

gollark: One person may enjoy bathing constantly and have a large lawn and stuff. One person may do showers and not garden.
gollark: You require varying quantities of water.
gollark: Mostly it's used in stuff which just *happens* to need water for production, not sold in bottles.
gollark: I mostly support just giving people money directly instead of having the government/whatever try and work out and possibly fail to guess exactly what people need.
gollark: I mean, water is used in VAST quantities (off the top of my head mostly) in industry.

References

  1. World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. Melicope ovalis. 2010 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 30 May 2011.
  2. Melicope ovalis. The Nature Conservancy.
  3. USFWS. Species Reports: Plants.
  4. USFWS. Endangered Status for Three Hawaiian Plant Species of the Genus Melicope. Federal Register December 5, 1994.


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