Coastal Mahoe vs Mahoe

Melicytus novae-zelandiae compared with Melicytus ramiflorus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Coastal Mahoe	Mahoe
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order same	Malpighiales (Malpighiales)	Malpighiales (Malpighiales)
Family same	Violaceae	Violaceae
Genus same	Melicytus	Melicytus
Species	Melicytus novae-zelandiae	Melicytus ramiflorus

Evolutionary Relationship

Coastal Mahoe and Mahoe share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Melicytus.

Conservation Status

Coastal Mahoe

LC — Least Concern

Mahoe

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Coastal Mahoe	Mahoe
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Coastal Mahoe

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Mahoe

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Coastal Mahoe

Melicytus novae-zelandiae, the coastal mahoe, is a shrub or small tree in the family Violaceae native to New Zealand, where it occurs along the coastlines of both the North and South Islands, extending to some offshore islands. The mahoes are a characteristic group of small trees and shrubs in the New Zealand flora, and M. novae-zelandiae is distinguished as the coastal ecotype of this group, tolerating salt spray, coastal winds, and the harsh conditions of maritime scrub and coastal forest margins. The species typically reaches 2–6 meters in height and produces small, yellowish-green flowers followed by fleshy purple to black fruits that are eaten by native birds including silvereyes, bellbirds, and tuis that disperse seeds through coastal scrub. Coastal mahoe provides important food and shelter resources in coastal bird habitats. Like other New Zealand violets in Melicytus, the plants are dioecious, with separate male and female individuals. The species is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, being a naturally common component of coastal New Zealand vegetation and capable of persisting in modified coastal habitats including regenerating scrub and planted gardens. It is used in coastal revegetation and gardening for its wind and salt spray tolerance.