Melicope degeneri
| Melicope degeneri | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Rutaceae |
| Genus: | Melicope |
| Species: | M. degeneri
|
| Binomial name | |
| Melicope degeneri (B.C.Stone) T.G.Hartley & B.C.Stone
| |
Melicope degeneri is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae known by the common names Kokee Stream melicope[2] and Degener's pelea.[1] It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known only from the island of Kauai. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States. Like other Hawaiian Melicope, this species is known as alani.[3]
Taxonomy
M. degeneri was described by B. C. Stone in 1966 as Pelea degeneri. Hartley and Stone in 1989 later re-classified Pelea degeneri into Melicope.[4]
Description
M. degeneri grows as shrubs or trees up to 35 feet (11 m),[5] making it as one of the largest among Hawaiian Melicope species.[6] Leaves are oppositely arranged, and shaped as elliptic-obovate blades with maximum dimensions of 8.2 inches (21 cm) in length and 3.36 inches (8.5 cm) wide.[5] Flowers are usually in clusters of three with length up to 10 inches (25 cm), characterized as yellowish brown tomentose axillary cymes up to 2.18 inches (5.5 cm) long.[6] Fruits are cube-shaped capsules of 7–9 mm long and 7–12 mm wide, with one or two seeds per cell, measuring about 4.5 mm, characterized as glossy black when ripe, crustaceous, and ovoid-shaped, but sometimes angled from compression.[1][5]
It grows in wet mountain forests.[7] The rediscovered population since 1993 grows in altitudes of 2,450–3,700 feet (750–1,130 m), with growth restricted in forests dominated by Metrosideros.[6]
Preservation
The type specimen of this plant was collected in 1926.[1] The species was not seen again and was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 1993, through a research initiative by National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG) for their Pacific Island floristic inventories.[6] Today there are 22 or 23 known individuals throughout Kauai, with places of discovery include Pohakuao, Hanakoa, Koai‘e and Wainiha.[7][6] This plant is threatened by the degradation of its habitat by the activity of feral goats and pigs and competition with non-native plants.[1] Its seeds are now stored in NTBG's herbarium for possible preservation by last-resort germination.[8]
References
- ^ a b c d e Melicope degeneri. The Nature Conservancy.
- ^ USDA Plants Profile
- ^ USFWS. Species Reports: Plants.
- ^ Hartley, T. G.; Stone, B. C. (1989). "Reduction of Pelea with new combinations in Melicope (Rutaceae)". Taxon. 38 (1): 119–123 – via JSTOR.
- ^ a b c "Melicope degeneri". Plants of Hawaii.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c d e Wood, Kenneth R. (2011). "Rediscovery, conservation status and taxonomic assessment of Melicope degeneri (Rutaceae), Kaua'i, Hawai'i" (PDF). Endangered Species Research. 14: 61–68.
- ^ a b USFWS. Determination of Endangered Status for 48 Species on Kauai and Designation of Critical Habitat; Final Rule. Federal Register April 13, 2010.
- ^ Wolkis, Dustin; Jones, Kelli; Flynn, Tim; DeMotta, Mike; Rønsted, Nina (2022). "Germination of seeds from herbarium specimens as a last conservation resort for resurrecting extinct or critically endangered Hawaiian plants". Conservation Science and Practice (4): 576.