Mahoe (Melicytus ramiflorus or "whitey wood") often hosts burrowing insects such as tree wetas. No good for firewood as it does not burn well.
A member of the violet family.
Melicytus are dioecious with separate male and female plants. Female plants need to be sourced to gather seed.
Mahoe is insect pollinated with midges, gnats, hover flies, butterflies, bees and ants all seen visiting the flowers and presumably being involved with pollination. The fruits are fleshy berries that turn purple when ripe. The Pigeon, Tui, Whitehead, South Island Robin and silver eye have been observed eating the berries.
Two interesting features of the New Zealand flora are that many plants have small, inconspicuous, unspecialised flowers that lack bright colours and many plants are dioecious, with unisexual flowers. Mahoe exhibits both these characteristics.
Container is small black anodised metal pill container. BYO pen and extraction device