Melicope ternata
Common names
wharangi
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Simplified description
Bushy small tree with glossy green leaves composed of three leaflets at the end of a long stalk and clusters of dry fruit enclosing a black shiny seed. Leaf blades 7-10cm, oval, three together on a long stalk. Flowers white. Fruit dry, splitting to show 2-3 seeds on a stalk.
Flower colours
Green
Detailed description
Shrub or small tree up to 6 m tall. Branchlets slender, pale yellow-green when young. Leaves opposite, 3-foliolate, on petioles up to about 50 mm long; petiolules very short to 5 mm long. Lamina thinly coriaceous, (50)-70-100 x (20)-30-40 mm, subacute to acute, obovate-cuneate to elliptic- to ovate- or obovate-oblong, entire (all forms may be on same plant). Subfloral leaves may be 2-foliate or single. Inflorescence of often paired axillary cymes, frequently tri-branched, on peduncles approximately 20 mm long; bracts minute, ovate; pedicels approximately 5 mm long. Flowers perfect or unisexual, 8-10 mm diameter. Sepals ovate-oblong, about 1.5 mm long, gland-dotted; petals greenish, ovate-oblong, concavo-convex, about 5 mm long, gland-dotted. Ovary glabrous, style short, stout. Disk annular, lobulate. Cocci approximately 5 mm long, pale brown, wrinkled and punctulose. Seed approximately 5 mm long, black, glossy, testa brittle.
Similar taxa
The hybrid between M. simplex x M.ternata, usually has trifolate leaves which are usually smaller than this species and often darker green like M. simplex, not yellow/green as in M. ternata. Hybrid seedling may be more difficult to separate from this species.
Distribution
Endemic. Kermadec, Three Kings, North and South Islands.
Habitat
Coastal to lowland forest, often favouring margin habitat.
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | Not Threatened
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Taxonomic notes
Where both species of Melicope co-exist hybrids may occur, these historically have been referred to as M. mantelli, they should be called M. ternata x M. simplex.
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
September - October
Fruiting
October – February (-April)
Other information
Etymology
melicope: Honey cut
ternata: Triplets
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
MELTER
Chromosome number
2n = 36
Previous conservation statuses
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Not Threatened
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Allan, H. H. 1961. Flora of New Zealand. Vol. 1. Wellington: Government Printer. Pg. 425-426.
Attribution
Description adapted by M. Ward from Allan (1961).
Some of this factsheet information is derived from Flora of New Zealand Online and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand licence.