Richea dracophylla is a species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 of flowering plant

Flowering plant

The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...

 in the family Ericaceae

Ericaceae

The Ericaceae, commonly known as the heath or heather family, is a group of mostly calcifuge flowering plants. The family is large, with roughly 4000 species spread across 126 genera, making it the 14th most speciose family of flowering plants...

. It is endemic to Tasmania

Tasmania

Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...

.

Description

It is a tall, sparsely branched shrub which can grow to 5 metres high, but usually less. The leaves are arranged spirally around the stems and are about 22 cm long and taper to a point.Dense clusters of white flowers appear at the end of the branches in spring.

Taxonomy

The species was first formally described by botanist Robert Brown

Robert Brown (botanist)

Robert Brown was a Scottish botanist and palaeobotanist who made important contributions to botany largely through his pioneering use of the microscope...

 in 1810 in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae, based on collections made at Mount Wellington

Mount Wellington

Mount Wellington may refer to:Mounts* Mount Wellington in Canada* Mount Wellington in Australia* Mount Wellington in Australia* Mount Wellington, New Zealand in Auckland, New ZealandOther...

.

Cultivation

It has been cultivated in Tasmania, with propagation by seed more successful than by cuttings.