Dracophyllum oceanicum 

Location & distribution maps

Phylogeny & links to associated information:

Wikipedia links:       Angiosperms  > Eudicots > Asterids > Ericales > Ericaceae  > Drachophyllum   oceanicum

Other links:

Plant  information

Common name:        Grass-tree

•  They are sometimes called grass-trees

Conservation status: . . .

Etymology:   

• The name Dracophyllum, meaning dragon-leaf, refers to their strong outward similarity to the unrelated Dracaena, sometimes known as dragon tree

• Phylum is a a primary division of the plant or animal kingdom, a genetically related tribe or race of organisms,"

• Etymology: from the Latin oceanicus, pertaining to the ocean or growing near the ocean, a reference to the habitat of this species

Flowers:                  

• flowers maturing acropetally, primary axis reddish brown; each node with a caducous leaf-like bract

• (10–)20–30(–35) flowers per basal node, reducing to 1 or occasionally 

• 2 flowers per node distally (heavily shaded branches with as few as 4 flowers per basal node)

• Flowers erect to spreading (rarely deflexed as a result of crowding)

• Bracts coriaceous, brown (sometimes whitish at the base, pink throughout or with a rose-coloured tip, becoming brown with age), triangular, c. 65 mm long and 15 mm wide at base of inflorescence to c. 10 mm long and 1.5 mm wide distally, sheath concave and well-developed, margin ciliolate towards base or smooth, tip obtuse. Bracteoles scarious, golden brown, linear triangular, 6–8 mm long, 0.2–0.6 mm wide, margin ciliolate distally, tip acute (flower often also subtended by a calyx-like bracteole immediately below calyx). Pedicel pale to mid-brown, to 8 mm long

• Calyx greenish white to white, often with apex tinged pink, frequently brown with paler more membranous margin in infructescence; lobes triangular, 5–7 mm long, 1.5–2 mm wide, 0.6–1 as long as corolla; margin with scattered minute teeth, ciliolate distally, apex acute

• Corolla off-white, lobes becoming brown with age; tube cylindrical-urceolate, 4–7 mm long, 2.5–3 mm diam.; lobes spreading to reflexed, ovate, 1.5–2.5 mm long, (1–)1.5–2 mm wide, base subcordate to truncate, apex obtuse, papillate distally (outer surface less so) and densely rugose

• Stamens with filaments inserted on the receptacle, 3.5–4.5 mm long, often adhering slightly to corolla tube but not fused to it; anthers attached at midpoint or slightly above, 0.5–2 mm long, included

• Pistil ± as long as corolla tube; nectary scales separate, c. 1.5–2 mm long, often ± as long as ovary, upper margin ± rounded to rarely almost truncate, glabrous; ovary ± cylindrical to obovate, 1.5–3 mm long, 1–2 mm diam., smooth with slight indentation at locule septum; style cylindrical, stout, 2–3 mm long; stigma indistinctly 5-lobed

•  Inflorescence (a variously modified superconflorescence) terminal

• Flowering: August–December (April)

Fruit:                         

• Fruit brown, shorter than calyx; style persistent

•  Fruiting: ?January–February

Leaves:         

• Leaves usually not persisting more than 40 cm below apex

• Erect to spreading and becoming recurved, sheathing at base; sheath greenish-brown to brown or pale buff

• 12–17 mm long, 14–21 mm wide

• Usually gradually narrowed into lamina, occasionally ovate or with slight shoulder, margin membranous

• Lamina coriaceous, usually bronzed green, paler abaxially, linear-triangular

• (90–)150–200(–230) mm long, (9–)10–15(–18) mm wide

• Flat to slightly concave; margin smooth or more commonly subserrulate, with 1 or 2(–4) teeth/cm

• Tip blunt and frequently broken off.

Stem & branches: 

• Stem often branching extensively near base

• Bark somewhat fibrous, deeply and irregularly fissured, grey with reddish tinge towards base of fissures

• Branches distally reddish-brown, smooth between leaf scars

Habit:        

• Shrub 0.4–2(–2.5) m tall, glabrous

• Varying from low ± prostrate to robust and erect to spreading (in more sheltered positions)

Habitat:   

• Habitat: on coastal cliffs overlooking ocean, or at the base of cliffs and on stream margins in sheltered bays

• Rarely more than 50 metres from the sea

• The substrate is sandstone of the Conjola Formation, part of the Permian Shoalhaven group

Distribution:                  

• Distribution: probably restricted to the coastal cliffs and small bays of the north and south heads of Jervis Bay

Additional notes:     

•  Although dicotyledonous, they resemble primitive monocots with their slender leaves concentrated in clumps at the ends of the branches

• The Shoalhaven group of sandstones, conglomerates and silty sandstones extends north and south of Jervis Bay (from Greenwell Point to near Point Upright); cliff lines throughout the area need to be investigated to see if this species has a wider distribution than currently known

• Source: Systematic studies in Dracophyllum (Epacridaceae) 2. New species of Dracophyllum in New South Wales, E.A. Brown and N. Streiber, 1999

Revision of the Australasian genera Dracophyllum and Richea

The genus Dracophyllum Labill. is revised, with a total of 61 species being recognised in four subgenera and two species (Dracophyllum minimum F.Muell. and D. strictum Hook.f.) are listed as incertae sedis. The genus Richea R.Br. is reduced to synonymy under Dracophyllum where it is divided into two new subgenera, namely, Dracophyllum subgenus Cystanthe (R.Br.) S.Venter and D. subgenus Richea (R.Br.) S.Venter. Replacement names published here are Dracophyllum laciniatum S.Venter, D. persistentifolium S.Venter and D. tasmanicum S.Venter, and new combinations published here are Dracophyllum alpinum (Menadue) S.Venter, D. continentis (B.L.Burtt) S.Venter, D. desgrazii (Hombr. ex Decne.) S.Venter, D. gunnii (Hook.f.) S.Venter, D. pandanifolia (Hook.f.) S.Venter, D. procerum (F.Muell.) S.Venter, D. sprengelioides (R.Br.) S.Venter and D. victorianum (Menadue) S.Venter. Nomenclature, descriptions, illustrations, photographs and distribution maps are provided for each species and lectotypes are designated where necessary. A key to the subgenera and keys to species within these are provided.

Source: A taxonomic revision of the Australasian genera Dracophyllum and Richea (Richeeae: Styphelioideae: Ericaceae), Stephanus Venter, Australian Systematic Botany 34(2) 1-205 https://doi.org/10.1071/SB19049Submitted: 18 December 2019  Accepted: 25 August 2020   Published: 4 January 2021 

Sources of information:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracophyllum_oceanicum (2023)