Leucopogon fraseri

Leucopogon fraseri is a small plant in the family Ericaceae native to New Zealand[4] and to Australia, where it is found in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.[5]

Leucopogon fraseri
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Leucopogon
Species:
L. fraseri
Binomial name
Leucopogon fraseri
Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms[3]

Styphelia fraseri (A.Cunn.) F.Muell. nom. illeg.
Cyathodes fraseri (A.Cunn.) Allan
Leucopogon bellignianus Raoul
Pentachondra mucronata Hook.f.
Styphelia mucronata (Hook.f.) J.H.Willis
Leucopogon stuartii F.Muell. ex Sond.
Leucopogon nesophilus auct. non DC. Benth.
Styphelia nesophila auct. non (DC.) Sleumer

Description

Leucopogon fraseri is a prickly, low-growing shrub (growing up to 15 cm high). It has white tubular flowers which are bearded inside and about 5 mm long. The fruit are orange. The leaves are 4–9 mm by 1–2 mm wide, with a sharp tip. The leaf blades are pale-edged and their underside is striped.[4]

Habitat

In New South Wales it is found growing in shallow sandy soils, or among rocks in dry sclerophyll forests, shrublands and heaths and usually at altitudes above about 500 metres.[5]

Conservation status

In New Zealand its conservation status was declared to be "Not Threatened" in 2004, 2009 and 2012 under the New Zealand Threat Classification System,[4] and this New Zealand classification was reaffirmed in 2018, with the further comment that it was safe overseas.[6]

Ecology

The fleshy fruits are dispersed by frugivory.[7]

Taxonomy

This plant was first described by Allan Cunningham in 1838[1] from a specimen found "among ferns on the hills near the Bay of Islands" by Charles Fraser in 1820 (after whom the plant is named), and another specimen found by Richard Cunningham in 1834.[2]

References
  1. "Leucopogon fraseri". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  2. Cunningham, A. (1838). "Florae insularum Novae Zelandiae precursor". Annals of Natural History. 2 (7): 47.
  3. APC. "Leucopogon fraseri". biodiversity.org.au. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  4. "Leucopogon fraseri". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  5. Powell, J.M. (1992). "Leucopogon fraseri". Plantnet - Flora Online. NSW Government. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  6. de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla, J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.M.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, .; Hindmarsh-Walls, R. (1 May 2018). "Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017" (PDF). New Zealand Threat Classification Series. 22: 68. OCLC 1041649797.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. Thorsen, M.J.; Dickinson, K.J.M.; Seddon, P.J. (2009). "Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora". Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics. 11 (4): 285–309. doi:10.1016/j.ppees.2009.06.001. ISSN 1433-8319.
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