Melicope cruciata (Cross-bearing Pelea)

[Melanie]

Range Known only from a few collections, in Kaholuamanu and Mt. Waialeale on Kauai.
Population It is now probably extinct.
Habitat and Ecology A small tree thought to be taken from boggy rainforest above 1,000 m.

[Melanie]

Melicope cruciata
SPECIES STATUS:
Genetic Safety Net Species
IUCN Red List Ranking ‐ EX
Hawai‘i Natural Heritage Ranking – Critically Imperiled
Endemism – Kaua‘i
SPECIES INFORMATION: Small trees 3‐4.5 m tall. Leaves opposite, elliptic to oblongelliptic
or elliptic‐ovate, 8‐17 cm long, 4‐9 cm wide. Cymes axillary, usually with 5‐9
flowers. Capsules ca. 24‐34 mm wide, carpels connate 1/4 their length, 12‐17 mm long.
DISTRIBUTION: Melicope cruciata is endemic to the island of Kaua‘i. All specimens of
M. cruciata have been collected on the west side of the island and on the high central
plateau.
ABUNDANCE: Rare. There are about 20 or 30 known plants on the plateau. However,
the estimates are tentative due to difficulty in distinguishing M. cruciata from related
species.
LOCATION AND CONDITION OF KEY HABITAT: Wet forests and shrublands
above 1,000 m.
THREATS:
􀂃 Direct damage and habitat degradation by feral pigs and goats;
􀂃 Competition with invasive alien plant taxa.
CONSERVATION ACTIONS: The goals of conservation actions are not only to protect
current populations, but also to establish new populations to reduce the risk of
extinction. In addition to common statewide and island conservation actions, specific
actions include:
􀂃 Survey historic range for surviving populations;
􀂃 Establish secure ex‐situ stocks with complete representation of remaining
individuals;
􀂃 Augment wild population and establish new populations in safe harbors.
MONITORING:
􀂃 Continue surveys of population and distribution in known and likely habitats;
􀂃 Monitor plants for insect damage and plant diseases.

[anotherspecialist]

Common Name/s: CROSS-BEARING PELEA (Eng)

Range Description: Known only from a few collections, in Kaholuamanu and Mt. Waialeale on Kauai.

Habitat and Ecology: A small tree thought to be taken from boggy rainforest above 1,000 m.

www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/33664/all

[koeiyabe]

plants.jstor.org/stable/10.5555/al.ap.specimen.g00096007?searchUri=filter%3Dname%26so%3Dps_group_by_genus_species%2Basc%26Query%3DMelicope%2Bcruciata

a synonym of Pelea cruciata

[koeiyabe]

explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.141957/Melicope_cruciata

Melicope cruciata is endemic to the island of Kauai, state of Hawaii. All specimens of M. cruciata have been collected on the west side of the island and on the high central plateau. The species is known extant at only a single site.

It seems that this species is still extant. Please move this thread to the Rediscovered Plants Board.