''Dracophyllum minimum'', commonly known as heath cushionplant or claspleaf heath, is a species of bolster

cushion plant A cushion plant is a compact, low-growing, mat-forming plant that is found in alpine, subalpine, arctic, or subarctic environments around the world. The term "cushion" is usually applied to woody plants that grow as spreading mats, are limited in ...

endemic to

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

, Australia. It is a low growing, highly compacted plant with white flowers, commonly found in alpine areas of the south, centre and west of Tasmania.

Description

''Dracophyllum minimum'' is a highly compacted cushion plant that grows close to the ground. It can form a large spreading mat, often interspersed with other cushion plant species such as ''Oreobolus pumilio'', '' Abrotanella forsteroides'', ''

Donatia novae-zelandiae ''Donatia novae-zelandiae'' is a species of cushion plant in the family Donatiaceae and is closely related to species in the family Stylidiaceae. It is found in the alpine and subalpine regions of New Zealand and Tasmania.Wagstaff, S.J. and Weg ...

'' and ''Mitrasacme archeri''. This undulating mat of mixed species is referred to as mosaic cushion heath. The leaves of ''D. minimum'' are bright green and sessile, with reddish tips and a broad sheathing base as long as the blade, approx . The flowers are small, solitary, white, and tubular, sitting directly on top of the foliage. The plant can often be mistaken for the vegetatively similar cushion plants ''Abrotanella forsterioides'' and ''Donatia novae-zelandieae'', however ''D. minimum'' is distinguished by its lack of a hairpoint on the leaf tip or hairy leaf axils. Cuchion plants are extremely slow growing and can occupy sites for a long period of time. File:Dracmini9307.jpg, Flowering cushion of ''D. minimum'' on Mount Field File:Dracmini 2038.jpg, Flowering ''D. minimum'' with ''P. lawrencii'' growing in between on Mount Field

Habitat

''Dracophyllum minimum'' is endemic to Tasmania. It is commonly found in alpine regions of the south, centre and west of Tasmania, at altitudes above , where snow may lie for several months of the year. It is generally found on shallow fibrous peaty soils with high rainfall and poor drainage. ''Dracophyllum minimum'' can grow individually, however it often occurs in cushion plant communities, consisting of a complex mix of cushion plant species, commonly , forming an extensive undulating mat. These communities can spread up to several hectares in area.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15377241

minimum In mathematical analysis, the maxima and minima (the respective plurals of maximum and minimum) of a function, known collectively as extrema (the plural of extremum), are the largest and smallest value of the function, either within a given ran ...

Ericales of Australia Flora of Tasmania Plants described in 1858 Taxa named by Ferdinand von Mueller