Melicytus venosus
Synonyms
None - first described in 2017
Family
Violaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Chromosome number
2n = 32
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – an interim threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017 . 2018. Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley. 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, RR, Sp
Similar taxa
Distinguished from Melicytus orarius and M. novae-zelandiae subsp. novae-zelandiae by its taller stature (up to 6 m tall); upright, diffuse branches (with the main stems having collars of protruding corky lenticels); by the broadly elliptic, broadly elliptic-oblong or ovate-orbicular leaves that are membranous to semi-coriaceous, and with the distal margins crenate or weakly serrate (usually with 1–6 teeth), and by the cuneate to slightly obtuse bases. Melicytus venosus also differs from M. orarius by having glabrous stems, visible leaf veinlets and petals that are without a prominent purple margin.
Flowering
August - October
Fruiting
February - August
Etymology
melicytus: From the Greek meli (honey) and kytos (hollow container), referring to the staminal nectaries of the flowers. Literally “honey-cave”