The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Dracophyllum patens

Etymology

Dracophyllum: dragon leaf, from its likeness to the dragon tree of the Canary Islands
patens: Spreading

Common Name(s)

Great Barrier Inaka

Current Conservation Status

2012 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon

Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB

Previous Conservation Status

2009 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon
2004 - Range Restricted

Qualifiers

2012 - RR

Authority

Dracophyllum patens W.R.B.Oliv.

Family

Ericaceae

Brief Description

Brownish small shrub with erect twigs bearing untidy tufts of grass-like long narrow pointed leaves inhabiting upland areas of the Coromandel and Great Barrier Island. Leaves 30-75mm long by 2-6mm wide, surrounding stem at the base. Flowers arranged in a short spike, below the leaves.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

DRAPAT

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs

Synonyms

None (described in 1929)

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand; North (Coromandel Peninsula (Maumaupaki, Table Mountain, upper Kauaeranga Valley, Pakirarahi, Hihi). and Great Barrier Islands

Habitat

Confined to exposures of rhyolite, hydrothermally altered andesites, and dacite rock within montane cloud forest (above 300 m a.s.l.) and regenerating shrubland within that altitudinal zone. Very rarely in tall forest.

Features

Sparingly branched, erect shrub up to 1.2 m tall (usually less). Mature bark grey, much marked by leaf abscission scars. Leaves often pinkish-green, to red-green, ascending at first, maturing patent and spreading; leaf sheath 8-10 x 3-4 mm with scarious margins, sheath narrowing to a thick subulate lamina, this 35.0-40.0 × 6.0-6.5 mm, broadly lanceolate, apex acute, with margins minutely serrulate. Leaves of juveniles less rigid; sheath to 15 mm long, lamina to 100 m. x 10 mm. Inflorescence terminal on lateral branchlets; racemose, 2-6-flowered, racemes subtended by a tuft of leaves. Lowest bracts foliose; sheath 3-4 mm long, shoulder ciliate, lamina ± 15 mm. long, ciliolate, ± pubescent near sheath. Sepals broad, acute, sparingly ciliolate. Corolla-tube c.4 mm long, white or pinkish white, subcampanulate. Style stout, c.2 mm long. Capsule more or less 2 mm diameter.

Similar Taxa

Dracophyllum patens is most likely to be confused with D. sinclairii with which it sometimes grows. From D. sinclairii, D. patens is easily distinguished by its smaller stature (up to 1.5 m tall cf. up to 2.6 m tall), often pinkish-green to red-green leaves with broad sheaths and short, broad, lamina with acute rather than acuminate apices.

Flowering

Throughout the year

Flower Colours

Red / Pink,White

Fruiting

Throughout the year

Propagation Technique

Difficult. Should not be removed from the wild.

Threats

Listed because it is a narrow range endemic . It is locally abundant in the places it has been reported from.

Chromosome No.

2n = 26

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Minute seeds are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).

This page last updated on 30 Jul 2014