Family: RUTACEAE
Genus: Melicope
Species: anisata
Species Author: (H. Mann) T. G. Hartley & B. C. Stone
Vernacular: Kukaemoa, kolokolo mokihana, alani, alani kuahiwi, Mokihana - Hawaiian [Regalado 649], mokehana, uahiapele, pilo 'ula, leiohi'iaka, kaleiohi'iaka, mokihana kukae moa, manena, alani wai, 'anonia
Synonyms: Evodia anisata, Pelea anisata, Pelea anisata var. haupuana, Pelea hillebrandii, Pelea kavaiensis var. glabra, Pelea nodosa, Pelea subpeltata
Melicope anisata is shrub or multi-trunked small tree ranging in height from 6 to 25 feet. The bark is smooth and gray-green with a red cambium layer. The twigs are smooth and light brown. The branches are pliant and droopy giving the plant a somewhat vine-like growth habit. The thin, leathery leaves give off a strong anise fragrance when crushed. The leaves are oval shaped and usually range in size from 4 to 8 inches long and about half as wide. The leaves are bright green and the brownish or reddish leaf veins are conspicuous. Groups of 1 to 3 flowers form at the bases of the leaves. The fruit of Melicope anisata is a squarish, yellow-green capsule about 1/2 inch long. The capsule has a strong anise fragrance. There are 4 compartments in the capsule and each will have 1 or 2 glossy black seeds about 1/8 inch long. Mokihana has a strongly pungent anise odor and the scent is retained sometimes for years, in the dry wood as well as in the capsules.
(Wagner, Warren L., Darrel R. Herbst, and S. H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii.)
(Lamb, Samuel H. 1981. Native trees and shrubs of the Hawaiian Islands.)
Mokihana’s scent was one of the Hawaiians favorite perfumes. In ancient times, twigs as well as capsules were placed between the folds of their tapa cloth and the capsules were threaded and worn by Hawaiian women and men alike as leis or wreaths. Mokihana fruits are symbolic of the island of Kauai. Fresh fruits of the leis sometimes burn the skin because they contain a phototoxic compound, which causes irritation of the skin when is exposed to sunlight.
(www.kcc.hawaii.edu)
(Information for this species compiled and recorded by Camelia Cirnaru, NTBG Consultant.)
Melicope anisata is the flower of Kaua'i and is native only to this island. It grows in moist to wet forests at elevations ranging from 1,200 to 4,000 feet.
(Wagner, Warren L., Darrel R. Herbst, and S. H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii.)
(Lamb, Samuel H. 1981. Native trees and shrubs of the Hawaiian Islands.)
Endemic to Kaua'i Island of Hawa'i.
We currently have 61 herbarium specimens for Melicope anisata in our collection. Click on any specimen below to view the herbarium sheet data.
- 036082 - collected by Alvin K. Chock in 1952
- 036648 - collected by Derral Herbst in 1968
- 019931 - collected by W. L. Stern in 1971
- 019932 - collected by W. L. Stern in 1971
- 019933 - collected by Derral Herbst in 1971
- 079140 - collected by Derral Herbst in 1972
- Unassigned - collected by Derral Herbst in 1972
- 040132 - collected by Steven P. Darwin in 1975
- 019930 - collected by Thomas B. Croat in 1978
- 019927 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1983
- 033356 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1987
- 082579 - collected by Carolyn Corn in 1987
- 018118 - collected by David H. Lorence in 1987
- Unassigned - collected by Tim Flynn in 1987
- Unassigned - collected by Tim Flynn in 1987
- 019929 - collected by David H. Lorence in 1987
- 003779 - collected by David H. Lorence in 1988
- 019926 - collected by David H. Lorence in 1989
- 019928 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1989
- 003142 - collected by David H. Lorence in 1989
- 033356 - collected by Hans T. Beck in 1990
- 036310 - collected by Hans T. Beck in 1990
- 010140 - collected by David H. Lorence in 1991
- 040299 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1991
- 018578 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1991
- 009388 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1991
- 012941 - collected by Steve Perlman in 1992
- 013667 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1992
- 014713 - collected by David H. Lorence in 1992
- 014931 - collected by Steve Perlman in 1992
- 036432 - collected by J. Regalado in 1993
- 029318 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1995
- S062633 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1995
- 019329 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1995
- 056174 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1998
- 044025 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1999
- 031419 - collected by David H. Lorence in 2001
- 034494 - collected by Steve Perlman in 2001
- 055009 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2005
- 045180 - collected by David H. Lorence in 2006
- 050734 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2007
- 053283 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2008
- 047261 - collected by Mary Merello in 2008
- 049360 - collected by Clay Trauernicht in 2008
- 051592 - collected by Steve Perlman in 2009
- 049666 - collected by Clay Trauernicht in 2009
- 068899 - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2009
- 072691 - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2009
- 072695 - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2009
- 064342 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2012
- 067455 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2013
- 085092 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2013
- 084976 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2015
- 072592 - collected by Marc Appelhans in 2016
- 072556 - collected by Marc Appelhans in 2016
- Unassigned - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2018
- 081794 - collected by Seana Walsh in 2020
- Unassigned - collected by K. R. Wood in 2022
- 091269 - collected by Adam M. Williams in 2022
- Unassigned - collected by K. R. Wood in 2023
- Unassigned - collected by K. R. Wood in 2024
