| Epacris sinclairii | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Genus: | Epacris |
| Species: | E. sinclairii |
| Binomial name | |
| Epacris sinclairii Hook.f. | |
| Synonyms | |
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Epacris sinclairii, also known as Sinclair's tamingi is a plant species in the family Ericaceae. The species is endemic to New Zealand, found exclusively on Great Barrier Island and the Coromandel Peninsula.
The plant was first described as Epacris sinclairii in 1864 by Joseph Dalton Hooker, based on specimens collected by Andrew Sinclair. [2] Hooker named the species after Sinclair. [3]
In the 1906 Manual of the New Zealand flora, Thomas Cheeseman described Sinclair's tamingi as Epacris pauciflora var. sinclairii, [4] This was the preferred nomenclature until 2002, when Peter de Lange and Brian Grant Murray argued that Sinclair's tamingi should be recognised as a species due to morphological differences, growth pattern differences, that E. pauciflora and E. sinclairii are occasionally sympatric, and their differing preferred habitats. [5] [6]
Genetic analysis indicates that E. sinclairii is closely related to E. pauciflora. [3]
Hooker's original text (the type description) reads as follows:
A foot high, much branched; branches stout, puberulous, leafy. Leaves erect, imbricating, ⅙-¼ in. long, densely coriaceous, narrow lanceolate-oblong or oblong, obtuse, smooth and glabrous on both surfaces. Bracts, calyx, etc., as in E. pauciflora. [2]
E. sinclairii is a woody shrub that has small, hard leaves with the widest section in the middle. The undersides of the leaves have three dark green lines, and paler green tips. The species' flowers are typically white, but may be red or pink. [3] The species can be differentiated from the closely related species E. pauciflora due E. pauciflora having a more open, heavily branched upright growth habit, E. sinclairii having larger bright olive green leaves, E. pauciflora having leaves that narrow into tapered points, and differences in preferred habitats (E. pauciflora typically being found in scrub and peat bogs, while E. sinclairii lives in rock outcrops and in higher altitude forest, occasionally as an epiphyte). [3] [4] [5] [7]
E. sinclairii can grow as a shrub or as a small tree, reaching a maximum height of 9 m (30 ft) (but typically much smaller). The leaves measure between 5–15 mm (0.20–0.59 in) long. [7]
The species typically flowers in April, and fruits between May and July. [3]
The species is endemic to New Zealand, known from two locations: the Mount Hobson massif of central Great Barrier Island, and the Upper Kauaeranga Valley of the Coromandel Peninsula. E. sinclairii grows exclusively in rhyolitic soil, typically found in high elevation humid forest and surrounding areas, and can occasionally be an epiphyte. [3]
E. sinclairii often grows in kauri-dominated forests. Historic kauri logging in New Zealand may be a reason for the species' restricted range. [7]
Meryta sinclairii, the puka or pukanui, is a large-leaved evergreen tree endemic to New Zealand that grows to about 8 m tall, with the distinctly tropical appearance typical of the genus. There are about 27 species of Meryta, all small, resinous trees of the subtropical and tropical Pacific Ocean.
Epacris is a genus of about forty species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae. It was formerly treated in a closely related but separate family Epacridaceae, but the various genera within Epacridaceae including Epacris have been revised in their relationships to each other and brought under the common umbrella of the Ericaceae. The genus Epacris is native to eastern and southeastern Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand. The species are known as heaths or Australian heaths.
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 virgatum is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is endemic to New Zealand.
Pachystegia insignis is a species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. It is endemic to New Zealand.
Townsonia, commonly called myrtle beech orchids is a genus of two species of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. They form small clusters of plants with their tubers connected, each tuber with one or two leaves. The flowers are inconspicuous.
Pittosporum kirkii is a glabrous evergreen perennial shrub that reaches up to 5 metres (16 ft) in height and possesses distinctive coriaceous, fleshy, thick leaves. It is one of four shrubs endemic to New Zealand that frequently displays an epiphytic lifestyle. P. kirkii is commonly epiphytic, perched amongst nest epiphytes in the canopies of emergent or canopy trees in old-growth forest; however, it can be observed occasionally growing on the ground or over rocks. Kirk first observed P. kirkii on Great Barrier Island. It was described by Joseph Dalton Hooker from material collected by Thomas Kirk, possibly from the Thames Goldfields, and published in 1869. The initial brief description titled Pittosporum n. sp.? by Thomas Kirk was published in his paper on Great Barrier Island in 1868. This description along with herbarium specimens were sent to Dr. J. D Hooker at Kew Gardens in 1868, and he collaborated to name it after T. Kirk, by giving it the specific epithet kirkii within the publication that was otherwise written by Kirk.
Myosotis monroi is a species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. The species was described by Thomas Cheeseman. Plants of this species of forget-me-not are perennial and erect, and have ebracteate inflorescences with cream or white corollas.
Townsonia deflexa, commonly known as the creeping forest orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to New Zealand. It forms diffuse colonies with tiny, inconspicuous flowers and small, more or less round leaves and grows mainly in mossy places in beech forest.
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.
Myosotis mooreana is a species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae, described as being endemic to the South Island of New Zealand by Carlos Lehnebach in 2012, and synonymised with Myosotis australis in 2020. Plants of this species of forget-me-not are perennial rosettes with ebracteate inflorescences and white or yellow corollas with stamens that are fully included in the corolla tube or sometimes partly exserted.
Celmisia major is a species of daisy that is endemic to New Zealand. It is split into two different varieties, Celmisia major var. major and Celmisia major var. brevis. Despite being in the same species, it is thought that the two varieties are not close to one another, with botanist Peter James de Lange stressing critical study on the taxonomy of the daisies. It was first described by Thomas Cheeseman in 1925. The major variety is found in the Auckland area and nearby islands, while the brevis variety is confined to Mount Taranaki.
Celmisia verbascifolia is a species of daisy that is endemic to New Zealand. It was first described by Joseph Dalton Hooker in 1853.
Myrsine kermadecensis, commonly known as the Kermadec matipo, Kermadec myrsine, or the Kermadec mapou, is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae, endemic to the Kermadec Islands of New Zealand. It was named by Thomas Cheeseman in 1888, and first described in 1892.
Myosotis amabilis is a species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae, endemic to New Zealand. Thomas Cheeseman described the species in 1906 based on specimens collected at Mt Hikurangi. Plants of this species of forget-me-not are perennial rosettes with ebracteate inflorescences and white corollas with stamens that are exserted.
Myosotis saxosa is a species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae, endemic to the North Island of New Zealand. Joseph Dalton Hooker described the species in 1853. Plants of this species of forget-me-not are perennial rosettes with ebracteate inflorescences and white corollas with stamens that are exserted.
Myosotis macrantha or the Bronze Forget-Me-Not is a species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae, endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. Joseph Dalton Hooker described the species as Exarrhena macrantha in 1864, and Thomas Cheeseman transferred it to the genus Myosotis in 1885. Plants of this species of forget-me-not are perennial rosettes with ebracteate inflorescences and yellow to dark purple corollas with stamens that are exserted.
Myosotis laingii is a species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae, endemic to the South Island of New Zealand, and considered to be extinct. Thomas Cheeseman described the species in 1912. Plants of this species of forget-me-not are perennial rosettes with ebracteate inflorescences and yellow corollas with stamens that are fully exserted.
Kunzea sinclairii, also known as the Great Barrier Island kānuka, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to Great Barrier Island in the Auckland Region, New Zealand.
Lepidium amissum, also known as Waitakere scurvy grass, is an extinct species of plant in the family Brassicaceae. The plant was first described by Peter de Lange and Peter Brian Heenan in 2013, and was formerly endemic to the sea cliffs of the Waitākere Ranges of West Auckland, New Zealand.
