By Len Gillman of Restoration Ruatuna
Plant of the Month: Dracophyllum sinclairii
Family: Ericaceae
Dracophyllum sinclairii is an endemic New Zealand species that grows in lowland to montane shrubland from Northland and Coromandel Peninsular to East Cape and Raukumara Range on boney harsh sites such as coastal cliff tops. There are a few plants struggling to survive on the headland at the end of Kauri Point Road but much of its habitat in Laingholm along the cliffs has been overwhelmed with weed trees such as Cotoneaster and Willowleaved hakea (see pest plant of the month). It reaches 1–8 m in height and has thin leaves that are distinctively twisted with parallel veins, and that form grass-like tufts. Adult leaves are 30–95 long by 1–5 mm wide and their margins have minute teeth (7/mm). Old branches are fissured, grey to blackish brown, young stems are reddish brown. Juvenile leaves are longer and broader (85–220 × 2.5–9 mm). Flowers are white to red, arranged on racemes 20-30 mm long. It produces seed capsules with many small seeds.
Weed of the Month: Willowleaved hakea (Hakea salicifolia)
Family: Proteaceae (protea)
Willowleaved hakea can dominate low shrubland and regenerating forest in poor soil habitats such as on coastal cliffs. It contributes to local extinction of rare native ferns, orchids and shrub species such as Dracophyllum sinclairii.
Control options: Pull out small plants and mulch. Larger plants can be cut near the base and the stump pasted with MetGel (metsulfuron-methyl).