Flora of New Zealand Series

D. scoparium F. Muell. Veg. Chath. Is 1864, 42 non Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. 1, 1844, 46.

D. latifolium var. ciliolatum Hook. f. Handbk N.Z. Fl. 1867, 736.

D. scoparium var. major Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 1906, 425.

Type: W, L. Cockayne, 1901.

Shrub or tree up to 10 m. tall; branches ± fastigiate, rather stout, bark greyish to almost black; branchlets slender, ascending, bark dark red-brown. Lvs clustered towards tips of branchlets. Sheath 6-10 × 4-5 mm., expanded in upper part then narrowing to rigid coriac. lamina ± 5-8 cm. × 1·5-2 mm., pubescent to almost tomentose, gradually tapering to acicular apex; margins minutely serrulate-crenulate, densely ciliate. Racemes 3-6-(10)-fld, 2-3 cm. long. Bracts persistent, ciliate; lower lflike, sheath 3-4 mm. long, lamina up to c. 2 cm. long. Sepals ovate, acute, ciliate, c. 5 mm. long; corolla-tube campanulate, c. 5 mm. long, lobes obtuse.

DIST.: Ch. Bog, forest, sts epiphytic.

Lvs of juvenile plants attain to ± 20 × 1·5 cm.; similar lvs may appear on reversion shoots of adult plants. Flowering may occur on plants of intermediate stages.