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