Alani (auwahi melicope)

Melicope adscendens is a sprawling shrub with long, slender branches covered with gray hairs when young and becoming hairless when older. New growth is covered with many fine, yellowish to golden brown hairs. The opposite, widely spaced, leathery to papery, elliptic leaves measure 1.5 to 6.5 cm (0.6 to 2.6 in) long and 1 to 4 cm (0.4 to 1.6 in) wide with petioles 0.6 to 1.6 cm (0.2 to 0.6 in) long. Both upper and lower surfaces of mature leaves are hairless. Flowers occur on 13 to 17 mm (0.5 to 0.7 in) stalks (peduncles) from the point of leaf attachment in groups of one to three flowers, each on an individual shorter stalk (pedicel). Female flowers consist of four sepals about 3.5 mm (0.1 in) long, four petals about 5 mm (0.2 in) long, an eight-lobed nectary disk, eight reduced and nonfunctional stamens, and a hairless four-celled ovary. Male flowers are small (petals about 5 mm (0.2 in) long) with tiny hairs. The fruit is apocarpous (breaking easily into four distinct sections), smooth on the outside, 14 to 15 mm (0.54 to 0.59 in) wide, and subtended by persistent petals and other floral parts (sepals).

The species historical range included Hawaii. See below for information about where the species is known or believed to occur.

Habitat Requirements

Melicope adscendens occurs at 914 to 1,200 m (3,000 to 3,900 ft) in open mesic forest dominated by Nestigis and Chrysodracon with other associated native species including Alectryon macrococcus, Alphitonia ponderosa, Dodonaea viscosa, Euphorbia celastroides, Osteomeles anthyllidifolia, Planchonella sandwicensis, Santalum ellipticum, Xylosma hawaiiense, and Zanthoxylum hawaiiense.

Food Habits

Movement / Home Range

Melicope adscendens occurs only on the island of Maui on the southwestern slope of Haleakala.

Reproductive Strategy

Melicope adscendens has been observed flowering in February and fruits have been collected in March and July.

Other

Melicope adscendens is distinguished from other Melicope species in its sprawling vine-like habit, long, thin peduncles, and apocarpous fruit.