Melicope contermina
{{Short description|Species of shrub}}
{{Speciesbox
| image =
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| status =
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| genus = Melicope
| species = contermina
| authority = C.Moore & F.Muell.{{cite web |title=Melicope contermina |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/114404|publisher=Australian Plant Census |access-date= 25 July 2020}}
| synonyms = *Euodia contermina (C.Moore & F.Muell.) (C.Moore & F.Muell.)
}}
Melicope contermina is a species of shrub or small tree in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to Lord Howe Island. It has trifoliate leaves and white flowers borne in leaf axils in panicles of nine to fifteen flowers.
Description
Melicope contermina is a shrub or tree that typically grows to a height of {{cvt|5–6|m}}. It has trifoliate leaves arranged in opposite pairs and {{cvt|70–210|mm}} long on a petiole {{cvt|15–80|mm}} long, the leaflets elliptical, {{cvt|40–90|mm}} long and {{cvt|20–35|mm}} wide with many oil dots. The end leaflet is on a petiolule {{cvt|5–18|mm}} long and the side leaflets are asymmetrical and sessile or on a petiolule up to {{cvt|7|mm}} long. The flowers are arranged in groups of nine to fifteen in panicles {{cvt|50–100|mm}} long. The flowers on each plant are bisexual, sometimes male-only, female only, or both male-only and female-only. The sepals are broadly egg-shaped to round, {{cvt|1–2|mm}} long and fused at the base. The petals are white or creamy white, {{cvt|1.5–2.5|mm}} long and there are eight stamens. Flowering occurs from late October to late December and the fruit consists of up to four follicles {{cvt|12–18|mm}} long and fused at the base, the seeds shiny black and {{cvt|5–6|mm}} long.{{cite web |url= http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/online-resources/flora/stddisplay.xsql?pnid=52812 |title= Melicope contermina |access-date=2014-02-21|work=Flora of Australia Online: Data derived from Flora of Australia Volume 49 (1994) |publisher= Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) }}{{cite book |title=The Australian Geographic Book of Lord Howe Island |author=Hutton, Ian |year=1998 |publisher=Australian Geographic |location=Sydney |isbn=1-876276-27-4 |page=144}}{{cite web |title=Melicope contermina |url=http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Melicope~contermina |publisher=Royal Botanic Garden Sydney |access-date=25 July 2020}}{{cite journal |last1=Hartley |first1=Thomas Gordon |title=On the Taxonomy and Biogeography of Euodia and Melicope (Rutaceae) |journal=Allertonia |date=February 2001 |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages=96–97 |jstor=23189298 }}
Taxonomy
Melaleuca contermina was first formally described in 1871 by Charles Moore and Ferdinand von Mueller in Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae from specimens collected near the base of Mount Gower on Lord Howe Island.{{cite web|title=Melicope contermina|url= https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/548441|publisher=APNI|access-date=25 July 2020}}{{cite book |last1=von Mueller |first1=Ferdinand |title=Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae |date=1871 |volume=7 |publisher=Victorian Government Printer |location=Melbourne |page=144 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/7224#page/145/mode/1up |access-date=25 July 2020}} The specific epithet comes from the Latin con (“with”) and terminus (“end”), with reference to the styles being joined at their ends.
Distribution and habitat
This species is endemic to Lord Howe Island where it grows in forest and on open ridges. It is somewhat rare, but is most often seen in Erskine Valley, between Mount Lidgbird and Mount Gower, at the southern end of the island.