Melicytus novae-zelandiae subsp. centurionis is a flowering plant in the family Violaceae. It is a subspecies of Melicytus novae-zelandiae, known in New Zealand as coastal mahoe. The subspecific epithet honours the military Captain James Doran McComish (1881–1948), who made several visits in the 1930s to collect plants on Lord Howe Island.[1]
| Melicytus novae-zelandiae subsp. centurionis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Violaceae |
| Genus: | Melicytus |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | M. n. subsp. centurionis
|
| Trinomial name | |
| Melicytus novae-zelandiae subsp. centurionis | |
Description
editIt is a shrub or small tree growing to 5 m in height. The chartaceous (papery), glabrous, oval leaves are 40–70 mm long, 15–27 mm wide. Clusters of small greenish yellow flowers, 2 mm long, appear from August to October. The round, purple fruits are 6 mm in diameter.[1][2]
Distribution and habitat
editThe subspecies is endemic to Australia’s subtropical Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea. There it is rare, occurring in forests at intermediate elevations.[1][2]
References
edit- ^ a b c d " Melicytus novae-zelandiae subsp. centurionis ". Flora of Australia Online: Data derived from Flora of Australia Volume 49 (1994). Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS). Retrieved 2014-02-24.
- ^ a b Hutton, Ian (1998). The Australian Geographic Book of Lord Howe Island. Sydney: Australian Geographic. p. 145. ISBN 978-1-876276-27-0.
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