Dracophyllum longifolium
Common names
inanga, inaka
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | Not Threatened
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Simplified description
Erect grassy shrub with light grey bark and erect twigs bearing long narrow pointed leaves inhabiting the South Island and Subantarctic Islands. Leaves 4–14 cm long by 1–4 mm wide, widening to a sheath that encloses the stem which has a finely hairy margin (lens needed).
Flower colours
Red/Pink, White
Detailed description
Erect to spreading single–stemmed shrub or tree 1–12 m tall. Bark on old branches grey to blackish brown, finely to deeply fissured, young stems reddish brown. Leaves dimorphic. Juvenile leaves spirally arranged or crowded at tips of branches, erect to spreading; lamina sheath 9–20 × 5–11 mm, light green, shoulders tapering to truncate and margin ciliate in upper half; lamina 100.0–250.0 × 2.5–7.0 mm, linear–triangular to lanceolate; margins serrulate with 50–80 teeth per 10 mm. Adult leaves erect to spreading; lamina sheath 5–15 × 4–7 mm, light green, striate, shoulders rounded to auricled and margin membranous with the top half ciliate; lamina 40–232 × 1–6 mm, linear to linear–triangular, prominently striated; margins serrulate with 120–170 teeth per 10 mm; apex triquetrous. Inflorescence a terminal raceme on lateral branchlets, shorter than leaves, initially erect but drooping later, dense, 24–55 mm long, linear–oblong. Inflorescence bract over-topping flowers, subulate, 17.0–35.0 × 1.2–1.5 mm, scabrous at base of adaxial surface, margins serrulate. Flowers 5–18, pedicellate; flower bract caducous, equaling to longer than flower, 10–15 × 5–8 mm,broadly ovate, adaxial surface pubescent in upper third, margins ciliate; pedicel straight, 0.7–2.0 mm. Sepals 2.5–7.0 × 1.5–3.0 mm, ovate–lanceolate, equal to or longer than corolla tube, striate, surfaces glabrous with the top half sometimes pubescent on adaxial surface; margins ciliate. Corolla white; corolla tube 4.0–5.0 × 2.5–3.5 mm; cylindrical, widened at mouth; corolla lobes reflexed, 1.5–2.0 × 1.5–2.5 mm, ovate to ovate–triangular, shorter than corolla tube, inflexed at apex; apices subacute; adaxial surface papillate. Stamens inserted on corolla tube in the upper third, filaments 0.3–0.5 mm long; anthers included, 0.8–1.0 mm long, oblong, light yellow. Ovary 1.3–2.0 × 1.3–2.0 mm obovate, apex round; nectary scales 1.2–1.5 × 0.8–1.0 mm, rectangular, apices irregularly toothed; style included, 0.7–1.3 mm long, glabrous; stigma capitate. Fruit pedicellate, 3.5–3.6 × 3.8–4.0 mm, obovoid, light brown, apex round, glabrous. Seeds 0.8–1.2 mm long, ovoid, light brown, testa slightly reticulate.
Similar taxa
Dracophyllum longifolium is recognised by the very broad, long and flat juvenile leaves, stiff, narrow and erect adult leaves with wide, shouldered sheaths, flower bracts that fall early; sepals short and broad with long white cilia and the mouth of the corolla tube that is slightly widened. Dracophyllum longifolium var. longifolium is most similar to D. cockayneanum with which it is sympatric on the Auckland Islands and Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku and from which it is distinguished by the glabrous juvenile and adult leaves. Dracophyllum longifolium has been erroneously reported from the North Island in the past by numerous botanists however, plants so referred are in fact D. filifolium a very different species. Despite the currently available names Dracophyllum longifolium var. longifolium has no close relationship to D. septentrionale (Venter 2009).
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: South Island, Stewart Island/Rakiura, Auckland Islands, and Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku.
Habitat
Widespread from sea level to the alpine zone growing in forest, woodland, shrubland and bogs on mountain and hill slopes, oncoastal cliffs and on bluffs.
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
None
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
October–March
Fruiting
Throughout the year
Propagation technique
Difficult—should not be removed from the wild.
Wetland plant indicator status rating
Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland). If you have suggestions for the Wetland Indicator Status Rating, please contact: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
FACU: Facultative Upland
Occasionally is a hydrophyte but usually occurs in uplands (non-wetlands).
Other information
Where To Buy
Not commercially available.
Etymology
dracophyllum: Dragon leaf, from its likeness to the dragon tree of the Canary Islands
longifolium: Long leaved
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
DRALVL
Chromosome number
2n = 26
Previous conservation statuses
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Not Threatened
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Regional conservation statuses
Otago: 2025 | Regionally Not Threatened
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Otago conservation status information is sourced from the “Conservation Status of Indigenous Vascular Plants in Otago, 2025” Jarvie S et al. (2025) report.
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Venter S. 2009. A taxonomic revision of the genus Dracophyllum Labill. (Ericaceae). Unpublished Phd Thesis, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 25 June 2012. Description adapted from Venter (2009).
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Dracophyllum longifolium Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/dracophyllum-longifolium/ (Date website was queried)