Plate 132.— DRACOPHYLLUM SUBULATUM. 



Family EPACRIDACE.'E. | [Genus DRACOPHYLLUM, Labill. 



Dracophyllum subulatum, Honk. j. Fl. Aiilturl. i. 50; Hoiidb. N.Z. Fl. 182; Vlieescm Man 

 N.Z. Fl. 425. 



Dracophyllum subulatum. like the species figured in the previous plate, was 

 one of the many interesting discoveries made by Mr. J. C. Bid will in 1839 during 

 his adventurous journey to Rotorua, Taupo, and Tongariro. Mr. Colenso. who 

 was the second botanical explorer to reach these districts, found the same plant over 

 a much wider area. He first gathered it in January, 1842, near the Rangitaiki 

 River, not far from the present Township of Galatea, while journeying from Lake 

 Waikaremoana (which he was the first European to visit) to Rotorua. In 1847 

 he again collected it on " barren pumice plains near Tarawera," between Napier and 

 Taupo ; and, later on in the same journey, on the eastern flanks of Tongariro. 

 Other early explorers also obtained it on both the Kaimanawa and Ruahine 

 Mountains. 



The centre of distribution of the species is undoubtedly the open pumiceous 

 country surrounding Lake Taupo, where it is extremely plentiful, often forming 

 close-growing patches of half an acre in extent, recognizable from afar by the dark- 

 brown colour. From thence it stretches to Tarawera and the Mohaka country, 

 and northwards along the Rangitaiki Valley to far below Galatea — quite possibly 

 to the Bay of Plenty. Westwards it extends to Rotorua, and down the valley of 

 the Waikato almost as far as Cambridge, and the Thames Valley to Matamata, which 

 appears to be its northern limit. 



D. subulatum is an erect fastigiately branched shrub 2 ft. to 6 ft. high, the 

 branches being long and slender, and leafy at the tips only. The leaves are small 

 and erect, under an inch in length, very narrow and pungent-pointed. The flowers 

 are small, white, and arranged in 2-6-flowered lateral racemes. The species 

 belongs to the same section of the genus as D. Urvilleanum and D. scoparium, but is 

 readily distinguishable by its small size and erect slender habit, short strict narrow 

 leaves, and small flowers. 



Plate 132. DracophyUnin suhulaliun, mature plant and seedling, drawn from specimens collected 

 on the Taupo Plauis. Fig. 1, leaf (x 6) ; 2, portion of inflorescence (x 3) ; 3, corolla laid open (x 3) ; 

 4 and 5, front and back view of anther (x 10) ; 6, scale from base of ovary (x 10) ; 7, longitudinal 

 section of ovary (x 10) ; 8, branchlet, showing galls (natural size). 



