Melicope cruciata
A Rutaceae tree in the genus Melicope, endemic to Kaua'i, Hawaii, growing in wet forests above 1,000 m, critically endangered with a very small, localized population, described in 1989 and reclassified from Pelea.
Common Names
Cross-Bearing Pelea, Pilo 'Ula
Summary
Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, specifically Kaua'i, this tree grows to about 4.6 m tall with opposite elliptic to elliptic-ovate leaves; axillary inflorescences bear 5–9 flowers, green capsules 24–34 mm wide, seeds ~7.5 mm, and endocarp densely short-villous; it is also known as pilo 'ula or cross-bearing pelea.
It occurs in wet forests and shrublands above 1,000 m on Kaua'i in the wet tropical biome; population is approximately 20–30 individuals on the plateau (tentative); conservation status is S1 and IUCN Critically Endangered (3.1).
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
15 feet
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (A.Heller) T.G.Hartley & B.C.Stone
- Publication
- Taxon 38: 121 (1989)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Sapindales
- Family
- Rutaceae
- Genus
- Melicope