Dracophyllum
Encyclopedia
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
and New Caledonia
. The name, Dracophyllum or Dragon-leaf refers to their strange, almost prehistoric appearance. Although dicotyledon
ous they resemble primitive monocots with their slender leaves concentrated in clumps at the ends of the branches; they are sometimes called Grass-trees.
Among the New Zealand species are
Australian Species
Ericaceae
The Ericaceae, commonly known as the heath or heather family, is a group of mostly calcifuge flowering plants. The family is large, with roughly 4000 species spread across 126 genera, making it the 14th most speciose family of flowering plants...
, 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
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
. The name, Dracophyllum or Dragon-leaf refers to their strange, almost prehistoric appearance. Although dicotyledon
Dicotyledon
The dicotyledons, also known as dicots, are a group of flowering plants whose seed typically has two embryonic leaves or cotyledons. There are around 199,350 species within this group...
ous they resemble primitive monocots with their slender leaves concentrated in clumps at the ends of the branches; they are sometimes called Grass-trees.
Among the New Zealand species are
- D. arboreum, Tree like growth to 10 m with a distinct juvenile phase. It is found in the Chatham IslandsChatham IslandsThe Chatham Islands are an archipelago and New Zealand territory in the Pacific Ocean consisting of about ten islands within a radius, the largest of which are Chatham Island and Pitt Island. Their name in the indigenous language, Moriori, means Misty Sun...
. - D. fiordense, Western OtagoOtagoOtago is a region of New Zealand in the south of the South Island. The region covers an area of approximately making it the country's second largest region. The population of Otago is...
and FiordlandFiordlandFiordland is a geographic region of New Zealand that is situated on the south-western corner of the South Island, comprising the western-most third of Southland. Most of Fiordland is dominated by the steep sides of the snow-capped Southern Alps, deep lakes and its ocean-flooded, steep western valleys...
. - D. latifolium, Neinei or Spiderwood. Found throughout the North IslandNorth IslandThe North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest 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 subalpineSubalpineThe subalpine zone is the biotic zone immediately below tree line around the world. Species that occur in this zone depend on the location of the zone on the Earth, for example, Snow Gum in Australia, or Subalpine Larch, Mountain Hemlock and Subalpine Fir in western North America.Trees in the...
regions, from the middle of the North Island to as far south as the Auckland IslandsAuckland IslandsThe Auckland Islands are an archipelago of the New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands and include Auckland Island, Adams Island, Enderby Island, Disappointment Island, Ewing Island, Rose Island, Dundas Island and Green Island, with a combined area of...
. - D. mathewsii, D. viride and D. sinclairii are found only in the far north of Tai Tokerau.
- D. menziesii is a multi branched shrub that grows to 2 m. It grows in high rainfall areas in high montane to sub-alpine herbfieldHerbfieldHerbfields are plant communities dominated by herbaceous plants, especially forbs and grasses. They are found where climatic conditions do not allow large woody plants to grow, such as in subantarctic and alpine tundra environments...
s in Western Otago, Fiordland and Stewart Island/RakiuraStewart Island/RakiuraStewart Island/Rakiura is the third-largest island of New Zealand. It lies south of the South Island, across Foveaux Strait. Its permanent population is slightly over 400 people, most of whom live in the settlement of Oban.- History and naming :...
. - D. pyramidale, a very slender, almost fragile tree, growing up to 10 m high. Grows between Great Barrier IslandGreat Barrier IslandGreat Barrier Island is a large island of New Zealand, situated to the north-east of central Auckland in the outer Hauraki Gulf. With an area of it is the fourth-largest island of New Zealand's main chain of islands, with its highest point, Mount Hobson, rising...
and the Kaimai ranges. - D. recurvum, a 1m shrub with curled leaves, found in sub-alpine to high alpine regions of the Central PlateauNorth Island Volcanic PlateauThe North Island Volcanic Plateau is a volcanic plateau covering much of central North Island of New Zealand with volcanoes, lava plateaus, and crater lakes....
of the North IslandNorth IslandThe North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
. - D. townsonii, very similar to the Neinei, grows mainly in the NelsonNelson, New ZealandNelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
area and the West CoastWest Coast, New ZealandThe West Coast is one of the administrative regions of New Zealand, located on the west coast of the South Island, and is one of the more remote and most sparsely populated areas of the country. It is made up of three districts: Buller, Grey and Westland...
of the South IslandSouth IslandThe South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
. - D. traversii, Mountain neinei. Found above 750 m in the top half of the South Island.
Australian Species
- D. sayeri Grows near the summit of Mount Bellenden Ker Queenslands Second Highest Peak.
- D. macranthum restricted to the lansdown area near Taree on the NSW coast.
- D. secundumDracophyllum secundumDracophyllum secundum is a prostrate to semi-erect shrub found in eastern Australia. It occurs from as far south as Pigeon House Mountain north to Kendall, New South Wales on the mid north coast. A common plant in the Blue Mountains near Sydney. Found as far west as Blackheath. Often noticed by...
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 NZ.