Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Ericales Bercht. & J.Presl
Family
Ericaceae
Genus
Dracophyllum Labill.
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Dracophyllum acerosum Berggr., Minneskr. Kongl. Fysiogr. Sällsk. Lund 8: 15 (1877)
Synonymy:
Type: New Zealand. Mount Torlesse, Feb. 1874. S. Berggren s.n. (holo: O!; iso: BM 577613!, CHR!, K!, S!, WELT 32864!, 32867!, 34027!).
  • = Dracophyllum uniflorum var. acicularifolium Cheeseman, Man. New Zealand Fl. 427 (1906)
Type: New Zealand. Castle Hill, Broken River Basin, T.F. Cheeseman s.n. (lecto: AK 7027!; isolecto: WELT 81525!), designated by Oliver (1952).
  • = Dracophyllum peninsulare W.R.B.Oliv. (1928)
Type: New Zealand. Banks Peninsula, Mount Berard, 2000 feet [~610 m], R.M. Laing s.n. (CHR 11093, lecto.!), designated by Oliver (1952).
Etymology:
Needle-shaped, and refers to the shape of the leaves.
 Description

Erect, strict, up to c. 2m. tall; branches slender, bark grey; branchlets very slender, ascending to spreading, bark reddish brown. Lvs ascending; sheath ciliolate, 10–(20) × 3–5 mm., narrowing to lamina by ciliolate, truncate, auricled shoulder. Lamina linear, concavo-convex, 60–80–(190) × 1–1·5 mm.; margins minutely serrate towards pungent apex. Fls solitary on short persistent peduncles towards tips of branchlets. Sepals narrow-ovate. acute to acuminate, ± = corolla-tube, margins ciliolate. Corolla-tube 5–7 mm. long, lobes c 2.5 mm. long.

[From: Allan (1961) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 1.]

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Bibliography
Berggren, S. 1877: Några nya eller ofullständigt kända Arter af Nya-Zeeländska fanerogamer. Minneskrift Utgifven af Kongl. Fysiografiska Sällskapet i Lund 8: 1–33.
Cheeseman, T.F. 1906: Manual of the New Zealand Flora. Government Printer, Wellington.
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Not Threatened]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [Not Threatened]
Venter, S. 2021: A taxonomic revision of the Australasian genera Dracophyllum and Richea (Richeeae: Styphelioideae: Ericaceae). Australian Systematic Botany 34: 1–205.