''Richea dracophylla '' is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
in the family
Ericaceae
The Ericaceae are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the heath or heather family, found most commonly in acidic and infertile growing conditions. The family is large, with c.4250 known species spread across 124 genera, making it th ...
. It is endemic to
Tasmania
)
, nickname =
, image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdi ...
.
[
]
Description
It is a tall, sparsely branched shrub which can grow to 5 metres high, but usually less.[ The leaves are arranged spirally around the stems and are about 22 cm long and taper to a point.][
]
Taxonomy
The species was first formally described by botanist Robert Brown in 1810 in ''Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae
''Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen'' (Prodromus of the Flora of New Holland and Van Diemen's Land) is a flora of Australia written by botanist Robert Brown and published in 1810. Often referred to as ''Prodromus Flora Novae ...
'', based on collections made at Mount Wellington.
Cultivation
It has been cultivated in Tasmania, with propagation by seed more successful than by cuttings.[
]
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q7330383
dracophylla
Ericales of Australia
Endemic flora of Tasmania
Plants described in 1810