Biology:Leptecophylla

Short description: Genus of flowering plants

Leptecophylla
Leptecophylla juniperina, Tasman Peninsula, Tasmania
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Ericaceae
Subfamily:	Epacridoideae
Tribe:	Styphelieae
Genus:	Leptecophylla C.M.Weiller

Leptecophylla is a genus of flowering plants in the Epacridaceae family, a subfamily of Ericaceae. The genus is native to southeastern Australia , New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands. Some species in this genus were formerly classified within the genera Cyathodes, Lissanthe, Styphelia and Trochocarpa.

The genus is a harder, erect shrub with small sharply pointed leaves and the distinguishable pink berries (although they are also found to be red or white). The plant's fruit is edible, raw or cooked. The genus can grow anywhere between 30 cm to 3 meters in height depending on the species.

(As of December 2018), Plants of the World Online accepted 12 species:

• Leptecophylla abietina (Labill.) C.M.Weiller (Tasmania)
• Leptecophylla brassii (Sleumer) C.M.Weiller (New Guinea)
• Leptecophylla brevistyla (J.W.Moore) C.M.Weiller (Society Islands)
• Leptecophylla divaricata (Hook.f.) C.M.Weiller (eastern Tasmania)
• Leptecophylla juniperina (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) C.M.Weiller (Victoria, Tasmania and New Zealand)
• Leptecophylla mariannensis (Kaneh.) C.M.Weiller (Marianas Islands)
• Leptecophylla parvifolia (R.Br.) Jarman (Tasmania)
• Leptecophylla pendulosa (Jarman) C.M.Weiller (northeast Tasmania)
• Leptecophylla pogonocalyx C.M.Weiller (Tasmania)
• Leptecophylla pomarae (A.Gray) C.M.Weiller (Tahiti)
• Leptecophylla rapae (Sleumer) C.M.Weiller (Rapa Iti and Austral Islands)
• Leptecophylla robusta (Hook.f.) C.M.Weiller (Chatham Islands in New Zealand)
• Leptecophylla tameiameiae (Cham. & Schltdl.) C.M.Weiller (Hawaiian and Marquesas Islands)

References

Wikidata ☰ Q2357573 entry