Native seed catalogue

Melicytus ramiflorus Whiteywood | Mahoe

This guide is based on a literature review. It compiles information from various sources. Different sources may offer varying advice and findings.

Other known names

Moeahu, hinahina.

Propagation summary

Good seed viability. Variations found with germination rates. Good information available about seed storage.

Seed propagation category

Moderate.

Seed collection

Flowers in late spring-summer in a series of distinct periods.⁽¹⁾ Seed collection in February-March.⁽²⁾ Each fruit may have 2-16 seeds.⁽³⁾ Seed can be collected from pigeon faeces.⁽⁴⁾

Seed storage

Orthodox.⁽⁵⁾ Storage in dry, dark conditions at 21°C for 5 months did not reduce viability.⁽³⁾ Seeds store well.⁽⁶⁾

Seed dormancy

No dormancy. 11 days to first germination and can take up to 35 days.⁽⁷⁾ All seeds germinate within 42 days.⁽⁸⁾ Germination occurs within 2 months.⁽⁶⁾

Pre-sowing treatments

Seeds in fruit had lower germination.⁽⁸⁾ Pericarp (fruit) needs to be removed.⁽³⁾ Soak seeds in water at room temperature for 24-48 hours.⁽⁹⁾ Cool-moist stratification for 4-5 months⁽⁶⁾ (stratification is the process of chilling seeds to promote germination).

Seed viability

Variation in seed viability reported (87%,⁽³⁾ 92%,⁽⁸⁾ and 100%⁽¹⁰⁾).

Germination

60% germination rate when seeds are de-pulped.⁽⁴⁾ Germination rate of 30% at 8 weeks after sowing.⁽¹¹⁾

Propagation techniques

Secondary dormancy was triggered by exposure to high levels of light intensity.⁽¹²⁾ Germinate in cool or moderate conditions.⁽⁶⁾ Best results found with semi-hardwood cuttings taken between February-April with a hormone treatment and grown under cool to moderate conditions.⁽⁶⁾

Research opportunity

Germination and vegetative propagation need further investigation.

Information about the native seed profiles

All species names are in the following order: scientific name, common name, and Māori name. Names may vary by region. We have tried to use the most common names across New Zealand.

We have sourced photos from different websites and creators. We have used the images under different licences. These include Public Domain and Creative Commons licenses. For Melicytus ramiflorus, the image details are:

Photo by (c) Jacqui Geux – some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Original image

The basis for each seed profile is a literature review carried out by Scion. Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service commissioned and worked on the review to produce a native seed catalogue. The full seed catalogue is on the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) website.

Native afforestation research programme: Seed propagation catalogue

Powlesland, M H; Philipp, M; Lloyd, D G (1985) Flowering and fruiting patterns of three species of Melicytus (Violaceae) in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 23, 581–596.

Burrows, C J (1997) Reproductive ecology of New Zealand forests: 1. Natural seed storage phenomena. New Zealand Natural Sciences 23, 31.

Herron, H; Clemens, J (2001) Seed dormancy and germination in Melicytus ramiflorus (Violaceae) New Zealand Journal of Botany 39(2), 245–249.

Bannister P; Jameson P E (1991) Germination physiology of seeds from New Zealand native plants. Seed Symposium 9–15.

Wyse, S V; Carlin, T F; Etherington, T R; Faruk, A; Dickie, J B; Bellingham, P J (2024) Can seed banking assist in conserving the highly endemic New Zealand indigenous flora? Pacific Conservation Biology 30, PC23029.

Metcalf, L J (1995) The propagation of New Zealand native plants. Godwit; Auckland, New Zealand.

Burrows, C J (1995) Germination behaviours of seeds of the New Zealand species Fuchsia excorticata, Griselinia littoralis, Macropiper excelsum, and Melicytus ramiflorus. New Zealand Journal of Botany 33(1), 131–140.

Burrows, C J (1993) Germination requirements of the seeds of native trees, shrubs and vines. Canterbury Botanical Society Journal 27, 42–48.

Olsen, M; Millner, J; Ries, T; Douglas, B (2024) Native afforestation: Review of germination. MPI Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service Technical Paper No: 2024/03.

10.

11.

Ford, C; Lloyd, A (2023) Germination of native species seed after cold treatment, surface sterilisation and soaking in 1% hydrogen peroxide. MPI Te Uru Rākau - New Zealand Forest Service Technical Paper No 2023/01.

12.

Herron, H; Clemens, J; Greer, D H (2000) Contrasting seed germination responses to red and far-red light in Leptospermum scoparium and Melicytus ramiflorus. Functional Plant Biology 27, 1069-1076.

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