Styphelia nesophila aka Styphelia Nesophila
Taxonomy ID: 18098
Styphelia nesophila is a low-growing, prickly shrub in the family Ericaceae (heath family). It is prostrate to trailing in form, reaching up to 30 cm in height in Australian populations and typically around 15 cm in New Zealand. The stems are bristly, and the leaves are narrow — egg to lance-shaped, 3–9 mm long and 1–2.5 mm wide — with prominent sharp points and pale-edged, striped undersides.
Flowers are white and tubular, produced singly in the leaf axils, and typically appear from August through October. Fruits are small, fleshy, yellow to orange and egg-shaped (approximately 5 mm), and are dispersed by animals that eat them. The plant grows in forest, shrubland, and heath, typically in poorly-drained or sandy soils or among rocks, often at altitudes above 500 metres.
The species is native to both southeastern Australia — where it occurs in New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania — and to New Zealand, where it holds the common names pātōtara and dwarf mingimingi. In New Zealand it is considered a native endemic taxon and is classified as Not Threatened. In Australia it is subject to more serious conservation concern, with populations listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered in several states.
Formerly placed in the genera Leucopogon and Cyathodes, it was reclassified to Styphelia in 1963 by Hermann Otto Sleumer, and the broader genus received a phylogenetic recircumscription in 2020.
Common names
Styphelia Nesophila, Cyathodes Fraseri Muscosa, Leucopogon Bellignianus, Leucopogon Fraseri, Leucopogon Fraseri Muscosus, Leucopogon Nesophilus, Pentachondra Mucronata, Styphelia MucronataMore information about Styphelia Nesophila
Where is Styphelia nesophila from?
Styphelia nesophila is native to southeastern Australia (New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania) and New Zealand. In Australia it typically grows above 500 metres elevation; in New Zealand it is considered a native endemic taxon, occurring in open upland habitats across both main islands.
How big does Styphelia nesophila grow?
This is a prostrate to trailing, low-growing shrub. Australian plants may reach up to 30 cm in height; New Zealand specimens are typically around 15 cm tall. The leaves are very small (3–9 mm long) with sharp tips.
What do Styphelia nesophila flowers look like?
The flowers are white and tubular, hairy on the inside, and appear singly in the leaf axils from August to October. The subsequent fruits are small, fleshy, yellow to orange, and egg-shaped (approximately 5 mm), and are dispersed by fruit-eating animals.
What soil does Styphelia nesophila need?
Styphelia nesophila grows in poorly-drained or sandy soils, or among rocks, in forest, shrubland, and heath. It tolerates cool upland conditions and is rated as Facultative Upland — primarily occurring in non-wetland environments.
What temperature does Styphelia nesophila prefer?
The species is adapted to cool upland conditions, often occurring above 500 metres elevation. It tolerates exposed, potentially wind-prone environments typical of montane heath and open shrubland.
Are there varieties or related species of Styphelia nesophila?
Styphelia nesophila has a complex taxonomic history. It was previously classified under Leucopogon (as Leucopogon nesophilus DC.) and also as Cyathodes fraseri and Styphelia fraseri. It was reclassified to Styphelia in 1963 by Hermann Otto Sleumer, and the genus received a broader phylogenetic recircumscription in 2020.
Can Styphelia nesophila be grown outdoors?
Styphelia nesophila is strictly an outdoor plant suited to cool temperate climates in Australia and New Zealand. It grows naturally in upland heath, shrubland, and forest margins, often in sandy or rocky, poorly-drained soils. It is not suited to indoor cultivation.
How is Styphelia nesophila pollinated?
Specific pollinators of Styphelia nesophila are not documented in the available scientific sources. The fleshy fruits are known to be consumed and dispersed by frugivorous animals, but information about its pollinators (likely insects, as is typical for the family Ericaceae) is limited.
Is Styphelia Nesophila toxic to humans/pets?
Sources
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