Melicytus flexuosus
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Simplified description
Greyish widely branched tangled shrub with speckled nearly leafless twigs in open sites. Sparse leaves occur on plants in the shade, 10–20 mm long by 1 mm wide, dark green. Flowers small, bell-shaped, sweetly perfumed, under branches. Fruit small, purple.
Flower colours
Cream, Yellow
Detailed description
Shrub to 5 metres tall, with interlaced, almost leafless, whip-like, grey-green branchlets. Branchlet surfaces pitted with lots of tiny white spots (lenticels). Leaves absent or 10–20 mm long, dark green to brown-green, entire or slightly toothed. Seedlings have narrow, brown leaves with a few coarse teeth or lobes along their leaf edges. Flowers strongly perfumed, pale yellow, c. 2–3 mm diameter. Fruit a berry, 3.5–5.0 mm diameter.
Similar taxa
None.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North Island (Waione Frost Flats and Pureora-Taihape region), South Island (widespread). The northern limit for this species occurs at Pureora in Waikato.
Habitat
Fertile alluvial terraces and flood plains in sites prone to heavy frosts and summer drought; often on forest margins and amongst scrub in frosty hollows.
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 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: CD, DPS, RF
Threats
Habitat loss through development, particularly forestry and rural development, weed encroachment.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Hymenanthera angustifolia R.Br auct. non. of N.Z. authors, Hymenanthera dentata R.Br. auct. non. of N.Z. authors, Hymenanthera dentata var. angustifolia (R.Br.) Benth. auct. non. of N.Z. authors, Melicytus angustifolius (R.Br.) Garn.-Jones auct. non. of N.Z. authors.
Taxonomic notes
The New Zealand plant has frequently been associated with two Australian endemics, both now transferred to Melicytus, and known there as M. angustifolius and M. dentatus (R.Br.) Mabberly et Molloy respectively.
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
August–November.
Fruiting
February–May.
Propagation technique
Fresh seed, though slow to germinate, is usually the best way to grow this species. It can be grown from semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings but these are often slow and the strike rate can be very variable.
Wetland plant indicator status rating
Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland). If you have suggestions for the Wetland Indicator Status Rating, please contact: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
FACU: Facultative Upland
Occasionally is a hydrophyte but usually occurs in uplands (non-wetlands).
Other information
Cultivation
Rarely offered by specialist native plant nurseries and almost never by commercial nurseries. This is a shame because the almost leafless branches and divaricating shrub form, as well as its hardy nature and tolerance of a wide range of soils, climates and moisture regimes makes it an ideal plant for modern gardens.
Plant of the Month
This plant has been featured as a Plant of the Month – see Trilepidea: NZPCN newsletter for January 2011 for the full story.
Etymology
melicytus: From the Greek meli (honey) and kytos (hollow container), referring to the staminal nectaries of the flowers. Literally “honey-cave”
flexuosus: Torturous, winding
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.
MELFLE
Chromosome number
2n = 32
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 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: CD, RF
2012 | At Risk – Declining | Qualifiers: CD, RF
2009 | At Risk – Declining | Qualifiers: RF, CD
2004 | Gradual Decline
Regional conservation statuses
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Otago conservation status information is sourced from the “Regional conservation status of indigenous vascular plants in Otago” Jarvie S et al. (2024) report.
Otago: 2024 | Threatened – Regionally Endangered | Qualifiers: DPR, NStr, PF, RF, RR
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Molloy BPJ, Druce AP. 1994. A new species name in Melicytus (Violaceae) from New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 32(2): 113–118. https://doi.org/10.1080/0028825X.1994.10410362.
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 1 August 2003. Description based on Molloy & Druce (1994).
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Melicytus flexuosus Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/melicytus-flexuosus/ (Date website was queried)