About Dracophyllum subulatum Hook.fil.
Dracophyllum subulatum Hook.fil. reaches a height of 0.3–2.0 m (0.98–6.56 ft) and has wavy, narrow, grass-like leaves borne on many thin stalks. In its juvenile form, the leaves are spirally arranged and spreading along branches that are soft grey, reddish, or purplish brown. Mature leaves range in colour from olive to dark green, and are erect to spreading. Flowering occurs from November to March, and produces small numbers of green or white flowers on a tiny inflorescence (flower spike). This species was first formally described by British botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker in 1844, and in 1867 New Zealand botanist William Colenso placed it in the subgenus Dracophyllum. It is endemic to the North Island of New Zealand, where it occurs between Rotorua and Taihape. It grows in low-lying areas between volcanoes, shrubland, and tussock grassland at altitudes between 100 and 1,200 m. Ecologically, this species acts as a facilitator, protecting native plant species from frost and thus encouraging plant biodiversity.
