Dracophyllum subulatum
Common names
monoao
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Simplified description
Erect grassy shrub with many thin twigs bearing narrow grass-like wavy leaves inhabiting the central North Island. Leaves 10-48mm long by 0.5-1.2mm wide. Flowers white, in short (less than 13mm long) clusters of 2-4 flowers at the end of twigs.
Flower colours
Green, White
Detailed description
A multi–stemmed shrub 0.3–2.0 m tall. Branches: bark on old branches grey, smooth, young stems reddish to purplish brown. Leaves dimorphic. Juvenile leaves spirally arranged along branches, spreading; lamina sheath 4.5–6.5 × 2.5–3.0 mm, shoulders truncate to auricled and margin membranous with the upper half ciliate; lamina 18–45 × 1–2 mm, linear to rarely linear–triangular, adaxial surface with a patch of scabrid hairs at base; margins serrulate with 70–80 teeth per 10 mm. Adult leaves erect to spreading, olive to dark green; lamina sheath 2.5–6.5 × 2.0–4.0 mm, subcoriaceous, shoulders rounded to auricled and margins membranous, ciliate; lamina 10.0–48.0 × 0.5–1.2 mm, linear to linear–subulate, surfaces glabrous with a tuft of scabrid hairs at base on adaxial surface; margins serrulate with 90–120 teeth per 10 mm; apex triquetrous. Inflorescence a terminal spike on lateral branches; shorter than leaves, erect, dense, 5.3–12.3 mm long, linear–oblong; inflorescence bract over-topping flowers, 4–6 × 0.5–0.6 mm, ovate–lanceolate at base; margins serrulate. Flowers 2–6, sessile; flower bracts equaling to longer than flowers, foliose, 3.5–7.8 × 1.7–2.0 mm, broadly ovate, with a tuft of scabrid hairs at the apex; margins with a prominent broad and white margin, serrulate. Sepals 2.6–3.2 × 0.6–1.2 mm, lanceolate to ovate–lanceolate, longer than corolla tube; adaxial surface pubescent or only the top half pubescent; margins ciliate. Corolla white to light pink; corolla tube 1.8–2.0 × 1.0–1.2 mm, cylindrical; corolla lobes spreading horizontally to reflexed, 1.0–1.5 × 0.8–1.0 mm, triangular, shorter than corolla tube; apices acute; adaxial surface papillate. Stamens inserted in corolla tube in the upper third, filaments 0.1–0.2 mm long; anthers included, rectangular, light yellow and 0.7–0.8 mm long. Ovary obovate, 0.8–1.0 mm long and wide, apex truncate; nectary scales 0.4–0.5 × 0.3–0.4 mm, rectangular, apices retuse; style included, 0.5–1.0 mm long, glabrous; stigma clavate. Fruit 2.9–3.0 × 1.7–1.8 mm, oblong; apex truncate, glabrous. Seeds 1.0–1.2 mm long, yellowish brown, filiform, testa prominently reticulate
Similar taxa
Dracophyllum subulatum is a North Island, Central Volcanic Plateau endemic. It is easily recognised by the slender branches, juvenile leaves, small (5.3–12.3 mm long) few flowered (2–6) inflorescences, flower bracts with a broad white margin, small corolla tubes (1.8–2.0 × 1.0–1.2 mm) and seeds with a prominently reticulate testa. Dracophyllum subulatum is perhaps most similar to D. palustre, certainly both species have the same white-margined flower bracts. From D. palustris D. subulatum differs in having juvenile leaves, and spicate inflorescences rather than solitary flowers. In D. subulatum the inflorescence bracts are notably longer than the flower not equaling them, they are also narrower (0.5–0.6 mm compared to 1.5–2.0 mm), while the sepals are longer and filiform rather than ovoid. The seed of D. subulatum is prominently reticulate while those of D. palustris are only slightly so.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North Island (Central Volcanic Plateau and adjacent ranges from about Rotorua and Te Kuiti south to near Taihape)
Habitat
Dracophyllum subulatum is confined the the Central North Island Volcanic Plateau at elevations of 100–1,220 m where it is associated with frost flats. It is virtually confined to pumiceous soils and rhyolitic tephra blanketing these. Dracophyllum subulatum is an important shrub of these habitats and where present it is usually dominant.
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
Threats
Not Threatened. However, as a distinct vegetation type Dracophyllum subulatum dominated frost flat vegetation has declined markedly over the last 100 years with much of its former range now converted to pine plantation or farmland. It could also be argued that this species is threatened by the spread of heather (Calluna vulgaris).
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
Dracophyllum angustifolium Colenso
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
November – March
Fruiting
January - May
Life cycle and dispersal
Minute seeds are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).
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]
FAC: Facultative
Commonly occurs as either a hydrophyte or non-hydrophyte (non-wetlands).
Other information
Cultivation
Occasionally available from specialist native plant nurseries.
Etymology
dracophyllum: Dragon leaf, from its likeness to the dragon tree of the Canary Islands
subulatum: Awl-shaped
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.
DRASUB
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
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.
Thorsen, M. J.; Dickinson, K. J. M.; Seddon, P. J. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285-309
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (23 April 2012). Description adapted from Venter (2009)