Leptecophylla oxycedrus 

Location & distribution maps

Phylogeny & links to associated information:

Wikipedia links:        Angiosperms > Eudicots > Asterids > Ericales > Ericaceae > Leptecophylla  oxycedrus  

Other links:     

Plant  information

Common name:         Coastal Pinkberry

• Also, crimson berry

Conservation status: Least concern (except Victoria)

• Leptecophylla oxycedrus has been described as critically endangered in Victoria, but have no risk in other regions

Etymology:   

• Leptecophylla comes from the Greek lepteces meaning fine-pointed, and phyllum meaning leaf

• The species name oxycedrus comes from the Greek oxycedros which means ‘prickly cedar’ (from the Greek oxys meaning sharp, and cedrus meaning cedar)

Flowers

• Leptecophylla oxycedrus is a dioecious species and has dimorphic flowers

• These flowers differ in that the male flowers have large, pollen-producing anthers which are usually partly exserted from the corolla tube, whereas the female flowers have small, empty anthers

• The flowers are have either a terminal or axillary arrangement.

• The bract and bracteoles are ovate

• The sepals are ovate-elliptic and are 1.8–3 mm long

• The corolla is white but differs in and between populations in regards to the presence of hair

• Typically the corolla has sparse hairs on it while the inside is glabrous

• The tube is cylindric-urceolate and are 2.2–2.8 mm long in female flowers, but 2.6–4.4 mm long in male flowers

• The lobes are 1–2 mm long and have acute recurved tips

• The ovary contains 5-6 locules and the style is 1–1.5 mm long

Fruit:                            

• The fruit in this plant takes form as small spherical berries approximately 8–9 mm in diameter and are pale to deep pink

Leaves:         

• The leaves of Leptecophylla oxycedrus are narrowly lanceolate and mucronate

• They are reflexed with slightly curved, entire margins and are 6–16 mm long and 1–1.7 mm wide

• They have a deep green, glabrous and glossy adaxial surface and a pale green abaxial surface

• The abaxial surface has finely branched veins

• Leptecophylla oxycedrus has a single growth period every year when the leaves are produced

• Before this season, the leaves are already formed in brown, scarious bracts

• Each bract increases in size from the lowest ones to the first leaves that emerge, with the uppermost bracts being approximately the same length as the first leaves

Stem & branches: 

Roots:         

Habit:        

• A medium shrub to large tree

• It is typically an erect, densely branched, woody shrub that grows 3–5 m in height and has puberulent branches 

• It is a perennial plant that typically flowers from August to November

Habitat:   

• It is limited to coastal lowland areas in wet Eucalypt forests or coastal scrub

• It has been found up to 750m on Flinders Island but has only been found at elevations up to 400m on the Tasmanian mainland

Distribution:                  

• Native to Tasmania and southern Victoria

• It can be found in southern Victoria, the islands in the Bass Strait and in the coastal lowland areas of Tasmania

• It has only been observed within 10km of the coast

• In Victoria, it is restricted to coastal granite communities at Wilsons Promontory, Corner Inlet and Cape Woolamai

Additional notes:     

• Taxonomy 

  • It was previously classified as a subspecies of Leptecophylla juniperina but has since been raised to the specific level in 2017

  • The current accepted name is Leptecophylla oxycedrus (Labill.) Jarman

  • The correct classification has been heavily debated since its original description in 1805 by Labillardiere in his publication Novae Hollandiae plantarum specimen

  • The basionym for this species, which is outlined in this publication, was Styphelia oxycedrus Labill

  • The following list details previous names or synonyms for Leptecophylla oxycedrus:

    • Leptecophylla juniperina subsp. oxycedrus (Labill.) C.M. Weiller (1999)

    • Cyathodes juniperina var. oxycedrus (Labill.) Allan (1961)

    • Cyathodes acerosa var. oxycedrus (Labill.) Cheeseman (1906)

  • Leucopogon oxycedrus (Labill.) Sond. (1845)

  • Lissanthe oxycedrus (Labill.) Spreng. (1824)

  • Cyathodes oxycedrus (Labill.) R.Br. (1810)

  • Styphelia oxycedrus Labill. (1805)

  • Leptecophylla oxycedrus flowers

• Similar species

  • Leptecophylla oxycedrus is visually similar to the two species that it was previously included alongside as subspecies: L. juniperina and L. parvifolia

• Leptecophylla juniperina

  • L. juniperina is now considered endemic to New Zealand and so its distribution does not overlap with L. oxycedrus

  • It also differs in its leaf appearance, with L. juniperina having more linear leaves with longer pungent tips, and the major veins branch towards the lead apex more than L. oxycedrus

• Leptecophylla parvifolia

  • L. parvifolia, or pink mountain berry, also has a different distribution to L. oxycedrus, as it typically occurs in subalpine areas at elevations of 500-600m but can be found up to 1200m

  • It typically inhabits rocky slopes of hills and mountains

  • L. parvifolia is also smaller in height, usually growing to less than 2m

  • It has smaller flowers, with smaller lobes compared to the tube and the leaves are shorter and narrower than in L. oxycedrus

• Uses

  • The berries produced by this species are edible both raw and cooked

Sources of information:

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