Dracophyllum

Dracophyllum is a genus of plants belonging to the family Ericaceae, formerly Epacridaceae. There are some one hundred or so species in the genus, mostly shrubs, but also cushion plants and trees, found in New Zealand, Australia, Lord Howe Island and New Caledonia.[1] The name Dracophyllum, meaning dragon-leaf, refers to their strong similarity to the unrelated Dracaena, sometimes known as dragon tree. Although dicotyledonous, they resemble primitive monocots with their slender leaves concentrated in clumps at the ends of the branches; they are sometimes called grass-trees.

Dracophyllum
Mountain neinei, Dracophyllum traversii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Subfamily: Styphelioideae
Tribe: Richeeae
Genus: Dracophyllum
Labill.

The height varies from one centimetre (D. minimum) to about 12 metres (D. longifolium).

Species

The following species are recognised by The Plant List:[2]

  • Dracophyllum acerosum Berggr.
  • Dracophyllum adamsii Petrie
  • Dracophyllum alticola Däniker
  • Dracophyllum arboreum Cockayne
  • Dracophyllum × arcuatum W.R.B.Oliv.
  • Dracophyllum balansae Virot
  • Dracophyllum cosmelioides W.R.B.Oliv.
  • Dracophyllum × densiflorum W.R.B.Oliv.
  • Dracophyllum densum W.R.B.Oliv.
  • Dracophyllum elegantissimum S.Venter
  • Dracophyllum × erectum W.R.B.Oliv.
  • Dracophyllum filifolium Hook.f.
  • Dracophyllum fiordense W.R.B.Oliv.
  • Dracophyllum fitzgeraldii C.Moore & F.Muell.
  • Dracophyllum × insulare W.R.B.Oliv.
  • Dracophyllum involucratum Brongn. & Gris
  • Dracophyllum kirkii Berggr.
  • Dracophyllum latifolium A.Cunn.
  • Dracophyllum lessonianum A.Rich.
  • Dracophyllum longifolium (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) R.Br. ex Roem. & Schult.
  • Dracophyllum mackeeanum S.Venter
  • Dracophyllum macranthum E.A.Br. & Streiber
  • Dracophyllum × marginatum W.R.B.Oliv.
  • Dracophyllum marmoricola S.Venter
  • Dracophyllum matthewsii (Carse) Carse
  • Dracophyllum menziesii Hook.f.
  • Dracophyllum milliganii Hook.f.
  • Dracophyllum minimum F.Muell.
  • Dracophyllum muscoides Hook.f.
  • Dracophyllum oceanicum E.A.Br. & Streiber
  • Dracophyllum oliveri Du Rietz
  • Dracophyllum ophioliticum S.Venter
  • Dracophyllum ouaiemense Virot
  • Dracophyllum paludosum Cockayne
  • Dracophyllum palustre W.R.B.Oliv.
  • Dracophyllum patens W.R.B.Oliv.
  • Dracophyllum pearsonii Kirk
  • Dracophyllum politum (Cheeseman) Cockayne
  • Dracophyllum pronum W.R.B.Oliv.
  • Dracophyllum prostratum Kirk
  • Dracophyllum pubescens Cheeseman
  • Dracophyllum pyramidale W.R.B.Oliv.
  • Dracophyllum ramosum Pancher ex Brongn. & Gris
  • Dracophyllum recurvum Hook.f.
  • Dracophyllum rosmarinifolium (G.Forst.) R.Br.
  • Dracophyllum × saxicola W.R.B.Oliv.
  • Dracophyllum sayeri F.Muell.
  • Dracophyllum scoparium Hook.f.
  • Dracophyllum secundum R.Br.
  • Dracophyllum sinclairii Cheeseman
  • Dracophyllum strictum Hook.f.
  • Dracophyllum subulatum Hook.f.
  • Dracophyllum townsonii Cheeseman
  • Dracophyllum traversii Hook.f.
  • Dracophyllum trimorphum W.R.B.Oliv.
  • Dracophyllum uniflorum Hook.f.
  • Dracophyllum urvilleanum A.Rich.
  • Dracophyllum × varium Colenso
  • Dracophyllum verticillatum Labill.
  • Dracophyllum viride W.R.B.Oliv.
  • Dracophyllum × vulcanicum W.R.B.Oliv.

New Zealand

Among the New Zealand species (all of which are endemic)[1] are:

  • D. arboreum, tarahinau or Chatham Island grass tree.[3] Tree-like growth to 10 m with a distinct juvenile phase, found in the Chatham Islands.
  • D. acerosum, 2m tall shrub found in Southern Malborough and Canterbury in the South Island.[4]
  • D. densum, small shrub found on high mountain tops in the South Island.[5]
  • D. elegantissimum, 14m tall tree found only in North-west Nelson in the South Island.[6]
  • D. filifolium, 4m tall shrub / tree found in both the North and South Islands.[7]
  • D. fiordense, western Otago and Fiordland
  • D. kirkii, small shrub found in Canterbury and Westland in the South Island.[8]
  • D. latifolium, neinei or spiderwood. Found in the North Island, from Mangonui southwards to North Taranaki and the Mahia Peninsula, growing from sea level to 1,100 m (Salmon 1973:271). Usually found growing under kauri.
  • D. lessonianum, wi-wi. Although it can grow up to 10 m high, it most frequently is seen as a straggly shrub.
  • D. longifolium, inanga or inaka. Growing to 12 m tall, this is the most widespread species in New Zealand, found from sea level up to 1200 m, in subalpine regions, from the middle of the North Island to as far south as the Auckland Islands.
  • D. mathewsii, D. viride and D. sinclairii are found only in the far north of Tai Tokerau.
  • D. marmoricola, 15cm tall prostrate shrub found in Kahurangi National Park in North-west Nelson.[9]
  • D. menziesii is a multi-branched shrub that grows to 2 m. It grows in high rainfall areas in high montane to sub-alpine herbfields in Western Otago, Fiordland and Stewart Island/Rakiura.
  • D. muscoides, small cushion found in the South Island.[9]
  • D. oliveri, 1 - 4m tall shrub / tree found only in the South Island.[10]
  • D. ophioliticum, 2m tall shrub found only in North-west Nelson.[5]
  • D. palustre, 1m tall shrub found only on the west coast (region) of the South Island.[11]
  • D. patens, 3m tall shrub / tree found only in the North Island.[12]
  • D. pearsonii, 50cm tall shrub found in boggy and damp areas in the South Island.[13]
  • D. politum, small cushion found from lowland to subalpine in the South Island.[9]
  • D. prostratum, small prostrate shrub found in montane to subapline areas in the South Island.[13]
  • D. pronum, small shrub found in the South Island, mostly east of the Alps.[13]
  • D. pubescens, small prostrate shrub found only in low alpine areas in North-west Nelson.[8]
  • D. pyramidale, a very slender, almost fragile tree, growing up to 10 m high. Grows between Great Barrier Island and the Kaimai Range.
  • D. recurvum, a 1m shrub with curled leaves, found in sub-alpine to high alpine regions of the Central Plateau of the North Island.
  • D. rosmarinifolium, bushy 1m tall shrub found in both the North and South Islands.[4]
  • D. scoparium, 4m tall shrub / tree found in the Chatham and Campbell Islands.[14]
  • D. sinclairii, 6m tall shrub / tree found only in the North Island.[15]
  • D. strictum, 3m tall shrub / tree found only in coastal parts of the North Island.[16]
  • D. subulatum, 2m tall shrub found in tussockland in central North Island.[17]
  • D. townsonii, very similar to the neinei, grows mainly in the Nelson area and the West Coast of the South Island.
  • D. traversii, mountain neinei. Growing to 13 m tall and found above 750 m in the top half of the South Island, also in scattered places in the North Island.
  • D. trimorphum, 3m tall shrub / tree found only in North-west Nelson.[18]
  • D. uniflorum (var. frondosum), 1m tall shrub found in the South Island.[19]
  • D. uruvilleanum, 8m tall tree found only in the north half on the South Island (Marlborough and North-west Neslon).[10]

Australia
  • D. sayeri grows near the summit of Mount Bellenden Ker Queensland's second highest peak.
  • D. macranthum, restricted to the Landsdowne area near Taree on the NSW coast.
  • D. secundum found in mountainous heath and sheltered lowland gullies on sandstone in the Sydney basin.
  • D. oceanicum from seaside cliffs near Jervis Bay NSW.
  • D. milliganii from the highlands of Tasmania
  • D. minimum, cushion plant from Tasmanian mountains, also widespread in NZ.

References
  1. Eagle, Audrey (2006). Eagle's complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand. New Zealand: Te Papa Press. p. 564. ISBN 0-909010-08-0.
  2. "Dracophyllum". The Plant List. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  3. "Dracophyllum arboreum | New Zealand Plant Conservation Network". www.nzpcn.org.nz. Retrieved 2019-09-02.
  4. Eagle, Audrey Lily (2006). Eagle's complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand. Wellington, N.Z.: Te Papa Press. p. 602. ISBN 978-0-909010-08-9. OCLC 85262201.
  5. Eagle, Audrey (2006). Eagle's complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand. New Zealand: Te Papa Press. p. 582. ISBN 0-909010-08-0.
  6. Eagle, Audrey (2006). Eagle's complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand. New Zealand: Te Papa Press. p. 570. ISBN 0-909010-08-0.
  7. Eagle, Audrey (2006). Eagle's complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand. New Zealand: Te Papa Press. p. 574. ISBN 0-909010-08-0.
  8. Eagle, Audrey Lily (2006). Eagle's complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand. Wellington, N.Z.: Te Papa Press. p. 608. ISBN 978-0-909010-08-9. OCLC 85262201.
  9. Eagle, Audrey Lily (2006). Eagle's complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand. Wellington, N.Z.: Te Papa Press. p. 612. ISBN 978-0-909010-08-9. OCLC 85262201.
  10. Eagle, Audrey Lily. (2006). Eagle's complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand. Eagle, Audrey Lily., Eagle, Audrey Lily. Wellington, N.Z.: Te Papa Press. p. 598. ISBN 978-0-909010-08-9. OCLC 85262201.
  11. Eagle, Audrey (2006). Eagle's complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand. New Zealand: Te Papa Press. p. 590. ISBN 0-909010-08-0.
  12. Eagle, Audrey (2006). Eagle's complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand. New Zealand: Te Papa Press. p. 596. ISBN 0-909010-08-0.
  13. Eagle, Audrey Lily (2006). Eagle's complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand. Wellington, N.Z.: Te Papa Press. p. 614. ISBN 978-0-909010-08-9. OCLC 85262201.
  14. Eagle, Audrey Lily. (2006). Eagle's complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand. Wellington, N.Z.: Te Papa Press. p. 604. ISBN 978-0-909010-08-9. OCLC 85262201.
  15. Eagle, Audrey (2006). Eagle's complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand. New Zealand: Te Papa Press. p. 584. ISBN 0-909010-08-0.
  16. Eagle, Audrey (2006). Eagle's complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand. New Zealand: Te Papa Press. p. 592. ISBN 0-909010-08-0.
  17. Eagle, Audrey Lily (2006). Eagle's complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand. Wellington, N.Z.: Te Papa Press. p. 606. ISBN 978-0-909010-08-9. OCLC 85262201.
  18. Eagle, Audrey (2006). Eagle's complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand. New Zealand: Te Papa Press. p. 578. ISBN 0-909010-08-0.
  19. Eagle, Audrey (2006). Eagle's complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand. Wellington, N.Z.: Te Papa Press. p. 600. ISBN 978-0-909010-08-9. OCLC 85262201.
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