Melicope affinis facts for kids

Melicope affinis is a type of shrub or small tree. It belongs to the Rutaceae family, which is the same family as citrus fruits like oranges and lemons! This plant is special because it only grows naturally in Queensland, Australia. This is called being endemic.

Melicope affinis has interesting leaves made of three parts. It also grows small, greenish-white flowers that appear in clusters.

What Does Melicope affinis Look Like?

Melicope affinis is usually a tree that can grow up to 20 meters (about 65 feet) tall. However, it can also be a smaller shrub that still produces flowers and fruit.

Its leaves are made of three leaflets, which are like small leaves joined together. These leaves grow in pairs opposite each other on a stalk called a petiole. This stalk can be between 20 and 75 millimeters long. Each leaflet is usually oval-shaped, about 60 to 100 millimeters long and 25 to 40 millimeters wide. The leaflet at the end has its own tiny stalk, 2 to 10 millimeters long.

The flowers of Melicope affinis are bisexual, meaning they have both male and female parts. They grow in clusters called panicles, which are 30 to 60 millimeters long. These clusters appear where the leaves meet the stem. The flowers have small, round sepals, which are like tiny leaves that protect the bud. These sepals are about 0.8 millimeters long and are joined at their base.

The petals are greenish-white and about 2 millimeters long. They are smooth, without any hairs. Each flower also has four stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen.

Melicope affinis has been seen flowering in March. After flowering, it produces fruit. The fruit is made up of up to four small pods called follicles, each about 3.5 to 4 millimeters long.

How Melicope affinis Got Its Name

The plant Melicope affinis was officially named in 2001. It was described by a scientist named Thomas Gordon Hartley. He wrote about it in a science journal called Allertonia. The plant specimens he used to describe it were collected by another botanist, Bruce Gray, back in 1979.

Where Does Melicope affinis Live?

This type of melicope plant is found in far north Queensland, Australia. You can find it in the area between the towns of Cooktown and Cairns.

It grows in rainforests that are quite dry. These rainforests are located at higher elevations, usually between 560 and 900 meters (about 1,800 to 3,000 feet) above sea level.

Is Melicope affinis Safe?

The Queensland Government has a special law called the Nature Conservation Act 1992. Under this law, Melicope affinis is classified as a species of "least concern." This means that scientists believe there are enough of these plants in the wild, and they are not currently at risk of disappearing.