Leptecophylla juniperina

Leptecophylla juniperina
Leptecophylla juniperina, Tasman Peninsula, Tasmania
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Ericaceae
Genus:	Leptecophylla
Species:	L. juniperina
Binomial name
Leptecophylla juniperina (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) C.M.Weiller
Synonyms
Cyathodes juniperina (G.Forst.) Druce

Flower

Leptecophylla juniperina is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae. The species is native to New Zealand and the Australian states of Tasmania and Victoria. The plant's fruit is edible, raw or cooked. Plants grow best in areas with moderate winters and cool moist summers.

Three subspecies are recognised as follows:^[1]

• L. juniperina (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) C.M.Weiller subsp. juniperina (New Zealand and Tasmania)^[2]
• L. juniperina subsp. oxycedrus (Labill.) C.M.Weiller (Tasmania and Victoria)^[2]
• L. juniperina subsp. parvifolia (R.Br.) C.M.Weiller (Tasmania)^[2]

An example occurrence of L. juniperina is in the red and silver beech forests admixed with rimu and miro podocarps on northern South Island, New Zealand; associate understory species in this South Island forest include Blechnum discolor.^[3]

Common names

Common names in New Zealand include Prickly Heath and Prickly Mingimingi. Maori names for this plant include Hukihuki, Hukihukiraho, Inakapōriro, Inangapōriro, Kūkuku, Miki, Mikimiki, Mingi, Mingimingi Ngohungohu, Pā tōtara, Taumingi, Tūmingi.^[4] In Australia, the subspecies parvifolia (syn. Cyathodes parviflora) is known as Pink Mountain Berry.^[5]

Synonyms Names

Cyathodes juniperina Druce., Styphelia juniperina Pers., Epacris juniperina Forst. & Forst. f. Leucopogon juniperinus R. Br.

References

• C. Michael Hogan. 2009. Crown Fern: Blechnum discolor, Globaltwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg

Line notes

1. ^ "Leptecophylla juniperina". 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=LEPTECOPHYLLA+JUNIPERINA. Retrieved 2009-05-10. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Weiller, C.M. (1999). "Leptecophylla, a new genus for species formerly included in Cyathodes (Epacridaceae).". Muelleria 12 (2): 201. 
3. ^ C. Michael Hogan. 2009
4. ^ "Leptecophylla juniperina (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) C.M.Weiller (1999)". New Zealand Plants Database. Landcare Research. http://nzflora.landcareresearch.co.nz/default.aspx?selected=NameDetails&Action=Display&CancelScript=1&TabNum=0&NameId=5A3B5CC4-B7B4-4E4B-B646-913498633217&StateId=&Sort=0. Retrieved 2009-07-13. 
5. ^ Cochrane, G.R., Fuhrer, B.A., Rotherdam, E.M., Simmons, J.& M. and Willis, J.H. (1980). Flowers and Plants of Victoria and Tasmania. A.H. & A.W. Reed. ISBN 0589502565.