| Genus Dracophyllum | Family Ericaceae
Subfamily Epacridoideae |
Description: Tall, erect to low or prostrate shrubs, glabrous; branches with prominent annular scars from fallen leaves.
Leaves crowded towards end of branches, often imbricate, acicular, linear or ovate-subulate, glabrous, concolorous, lower surface parallel-veined, narrow and concave above the sheathing base.
Inflorescence compound or sometimes a simple spike or flowers solitary; bracts falling or persistent, leaf-like or much reduced. Sepals 5, equal or unequal in size. Corolla tube cylindrical or campanulate; lobes spreading, imbricate in bud. Stamens 5; filaments free or ± fused to corolla; anthers included or exserted. Nectary of 5 distinct scales. Ovary 5-locular with several ovules per loculus; placentation axile; style inserted in depression of ovary; stigma lobed.
Fruit a loculicidal capsule.
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 48 species, New Zealand, New Caledonia & Australia. Australia: 4 species (endemic), Qld, N.S.W., Tas.
Text by J. M. Powell, except for groups with contributors listed
Taxon concept:
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Leaf margin smooth (or with little grooves or obscurely serrulate); mature leaves 15–40 cm long, 0.9–1.8 cm wide; inflorescence dense, with (10–)20–30(–60) flowers per basal node; corolla tube length ± equal to sepal length. | 2 |
| Leaf margin finely to distinctly serrulate; mature leaves 5–20 cm long, 0.3–1.0 cm wide; inflorescence open, less than 10 (or 11) flowers per basal node; corolla tube length usually exceeding sepal length. | 3 |
| 2 | Inflorescence with peduncles and pedicels glabrous; floral nectary glabrous on upper margin; occurring on the South Coast of New South Wales. | Dracophyllum oceanicum |
| Inflorescence with peduncles and pedicels bearing soft hairs c. 1 mm long; floral nectary ciliolate on upper margin; occurring on Lord Howe Island.
Back to 1 | Dracophyllum fitzgeraldii |
| 3 | Corolla tube 1–25 mm long; style more than 12 mm long; inflorescence maturing from apex to base, with 2 or 3 flowers per basal node. | Dracophyllum macranthum |
| Corolla tube 4–9 mm long; style 1–7 mm long; inflorescence maturing from base to apex, with (1–)3–5(–11) flowers per basal node.
Back to 1 | Dracophyllum secundum |
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