Melicope hookeri explained

Melicope hookeri is a tree in the family Rutaceae. It is native to Southeast Asia.

Description

Melicope hookeri grows up to tall with a trunk diameter up to . The almost leathery leaves are obovate or elliptic to ovate and measure up to long. The are and feature small unisexual flowers, occasionally bisexual, with white to greenish petals. The fruits are brown-green. The timber is harvested for local use.

Taxonomy

Melicope hookeri was described in 1994 by the American botanist Thomas Gordon Hartley. The type specimen was collected in Penang. The species is named for the British botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker.

Distribution and habitat

Melicope hookeri is native to Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Borneo. Its habitat is in primary and secondary forests, some dipterocarp, in hilly areas, generally at lower elevations. In Borneo the species may occur up to submontane elevations of .

Conservation

Melicope hookeri has been assessed as least concern on the IUCN Red List. It is considered critically endangered in Singapore.