Richea pandanifolia

Richea pandanifolia
Richea pandanifolia in Mount Field National Park
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Ericaceae
Genus:	Richea
Species:	R. pandanifolia
Binomial name
Richea pandanifolia Hook.f.
Synonyms
Cystanthe pandanifolia Hook.f.Kuntze

Richea pandanifolia (Pandani or Giant Grass Tree) is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, endemic to Tasmania.^[1][2]

Description

Flowers

It is somewhat palm-like in appearance, usually growing as a single stem or occasionally branched, and is between 2 and 12 metres in height.^[2] It has densely crowded leaves which taper to a point. The flowers appear in panicles, up to 25 centimetres long and are white to deep pink.

Taxonomy

The species was first formally described by botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker in 1844 in The botany of the Antarctic voyage of H.M. discovery ships Erebus and Terror. I. Flora Antarctica . The type was reported to be growing at "Port Davy, Peak of Teneriffe, Frenchman's Cap, and several other mountainous situations".^[1]

There are two subspecies:

• Richea pandanifolia Hook.f. subsp. pandanifolia
• Richea pandanifolia subsp. ramulosa Menadue which was fist formally described in the journal Australian Systematic Botany in 2000. The type specimen for this subspecies was collected from Newell Creek, near Queenstown.^[1]

Distribution

Richea pandanifolia occurs in wet mountain forests to altitudes of 1200 metres.^[2]

Cultivation

Though rarely seen in cultivation, the species believed to be suitable for cool climate gardens in a moist, sheltered position with good drainage.^[2] It can also be used as a container plant.^[2] The species is more successfully propagated by seed than by cuttings.^[2]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Richea pandanifolia". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni?TAXON_NAME=RICHEA+PANDANIFOLIA. Retrieved 2009-05-04. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Richea pandanifolia". Australian Native Plants Society (Australia) - ANPSA. http://asgap.org.au/r-pan.html. Retrieved 2009-05-04.