Dracophyllum recurvum

Dracophyllum recurvum
Dracophyllum recurvum on Mt Tongariro
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Ericaceae
Genus:	Dracophyllum
Species:	D. recurvum
Binomial name
Dracophyllum recurvum Hook.f.

Dracophyllum recurvum, known commonly as curved leaf grass tree or neinei is a prostrate to semi-erect shrub belonging to the genus Dracophyllum.

Description

Dracophyllum recurvum grows up to one metre high at lower altitudes, or down to less than five centimetres at higher altitudes. The plant's branches are covered in a greyish bark, and its leaves vary from dark green at lower altitudes to reds and greys at higher altitudes. Leaves are 10–40 millimetres (0.39–1.57 in) in length and usually approximately 2 millimetres (0.079 in) wide. The physical characteristics of D. recurvum vary greatly with changes in altitude.

It is distinguishable from other species in the genus by its thin, recurved leaves.

Distribution

Dracophyllum recurvum grows in subalpine and alpine environments in the volcanic Central Plateau of the North Island of New Zealand. It is especially plentiful on Mount Ruapehu and the other mountains of Tongariro National Park. D. recurvum is one of the few plant species that can survive the extreme conditions on Ruapehu, due to its wide-spreading root system, which firmly anchors the plant to the thin soil, as well as helping halt erosion on the mountain.