Māhoe (Melicytus ramiflorus), a member of the violet family, is a common tree of coastal and lowland forest, and regenerating shrublands. It is also known as whiteywood, a reference to its pale bark. The leaves are bright green and coarsely toothed. The lacy leaf skeletons are common on the forest floor. Māhoe has separate male and female trees. Flowering is in late spring and summer, and berries ripen during late summer and autumn. Each berry contains six to seven seeds. Native birds such as pigeons and waxeyes spread the seeds after feeding on the fleshy berries.
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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Photograph by Alastair McLean
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