Lord Howe Island is an irregularly crescent-shaped volcanic remnant in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, part of the Australian state of New South Wales. It lies 600 km (320 nmi) directly east of mainland Port Macquarie, 780 km (420 nmi) northeast of Sydney, and about 900 km (490 nmi) southwest of Norfolk Island. It is about 10 km (6.2 mi) long and between 0.3 and 2.0 km wide with an area of 14.55 km2, though just 3.98 km2 of that comprise the low-lying developed part of the island.
Dracophyllum is a genus of plants belonging to the family Ericaceae, formerly Epacridaceae. There are 61 species in the genus, mostly shrubs, but also cushion plants and trees, found in New Zealand, Australia, Lord Howe Island and New Caledonia. The name Dracophyllum, meaning dragon-leaf, refers to their strong outward similarity to the unrelated Dracaena, sometimes known as dragon tree. Although dicotyledonous, they resemble primitive monocots with their slender leaves concentrated in clumps at the ends of the branches; they are sometimes called grass-trees.
Pittosporum erioloma grows as a shrub or small tree. It is also known as the Lord Howe Island pittosporum or hedge laurel, though it is not a member of the laurel family.
Olearia mooneyi, commonly known as pumpkin bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to Lord Howe Island. It is a shrub or small tree with hairy, elliptic to egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and white and pale yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.
Machaerina insularis is a flowering plant in the sedge family. The specific epithet is the Latin insularis, alluding to its island home.
Corokia carpodetoides, simply known locally as corokia, is a flowering plant in the Argophyllaceae family. The specific epithet derives from a resemblance to the genus Carpodetus, with the addition of the Latin suffix -oides (“resembling”).
Luzula longiflora is a flowering plant in the rush family. The specific epithet refers to the relatively long floral perianth.
Westringia viminalis is a flowering plant in the mint family. The specific epithet refers to its long, slender shoots. It is closely related to Westringia fruticosa, which is found on coastal heath and cliffs in New South Wales.
Cryptocarya gregsonii, commonly known as native blackbutt, black plum or laurel, is a flowering plant in the laurel family. The specific epithet honours Jesse Gregson of Newcastle, New South Wales, a botanical friend of Maiden.
Myrsine myrtillina is a flowering plant in the family Primulaceae. It is a shrub endemic to Lord Howe Island. The specific epithet comes from a fancied resemblance of the leaves to those of the myrtle genus Myrtus.
Coprosma inopinata is a flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae. The specific epithet comes from the Latin inopinus (“unexpected”), because it was discovered unexpectedly in 1989, proving to be yet another species of Coprosma that was endemic to Lord Howe Island.
Psychotria carronis, commonly known as the black grape, is a flowering plant in the coffee family. The specific epithet honours William Carron (1823–1876) who collected plants on Lord Howe Island for the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney.
Melicope contermina is a species of shrub or small tree in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to Lord Howe Island. It has trifoliate leaves and white flowers borne in leaf axils in panicles of nine to fifteen flowers.
Celtis conferta subsp. amblyphylla, commonly known as cotton wood or cotton-wood, is a flowering plant in the hemp and hackberry family.
Eucalyptus fitzgeraldii, commonly known as the broad-leaved box or the paper-barked box, is a tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has rough, flaky bark, flower buds arranged in groups of seven and bell-shaped to urn-shaped fruit.
Dracophyllum arboreum, commonly known as Chatham Island grass tree and tarahinau (Moriori), is a species of tree in the heath family Ericaceae. Endemic to the Chatham Islands of New Zealand, it reaches a height of 18 m (60 ft) and has leaves that differ between the juvenile and adult forms.
Dracophyllum traversii, commonly known as mountain neinei, grass tree, and pineapple tree is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae. It is a deciduous tree endemic to New Zealand. It reaches a height of 0.2–13 m (0.66–42.65 ft) and has leaves which form tufts at the end of its branches. It has a lifespan of between 500 and 600 years.
Dracophyllum elegantissimum, commonly known as grass tree or slender dragon tree, is a flowering plant in the family Ericaceae. Endemic to New Zealand, it is found in the north of the South Island, in north-west Nelson.
Dracophyllum muscoides, commonly known as cushion inaka, is a small cushion plant in the family Ericaceae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found only in the South Island in sub-alpine regions.
Dracophyllum fiordense, commonly known as the Fiordland grass tree, is a species of tree or shrub in the heath family, Ericaceae. It is endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. It reaches a height of 1.5–5.0 metres and has tufts of long green leaves at the ends of its branches. Each leaf has a distinctive curled spiral tip. D. fiordense has a pyramid-shaped inflorescence hidden under each clump of leaves, with between 113 and 120 pink flowers on each spike, and later reddish-brown dry fruit; both are around just 2 by 2 mm. It inhabits shrubland, lowland and subalpine forests, and tussock grassland of mountain slopes, gullies, and ridges. Its range covers two main areas: one in Fiordland National Park, and one in the Mount Cook and Westland National Parks.
