Species

Coprosma propinqua var. martinii

Etymology

Coprosma: from the Greek kopros 'dung' and osme 'smell', referring to the foul smell of the species, literally 'dung smell'
propinqua: From the Latin propinquus 'near, neighbouring', meaning closely related to another species

Common Name(s)

mingimingi

Current Conservation Status

2012 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon

Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB

Previous Conservation Status

2009 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon
2004 - Range Restricted

Qualifiers

2012 - IE
2009 - IE

Authority

Coprosma propinqua var. martinii W.R.B.Oliv.

Family

Rubiaceae

Brief Description

Low growing or erect shrub bearing pairs of narrow leaves inhabiting the Chatham Islands. Branching at narrow angle, twigs fuzzy. Leaves dark green, 15-20mm long by 3-4mm wide, with small pits on underside. Fruit dark purple, slightly narrower around middle.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

COPPVM

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs

Synonyms

None

Distribution

Endemic. Chatham Islands only

Flower Colours

Green

Propagation Technique

Very easy from cuttings, fresh seed and rooted pieces. There are two forms, one forms a small tree, and this corresponds to the type variety. It is rarely grown in New Zealand, and virtually never seen sold by retail nurseries, the other form is flat and creeping, and is widely sold as Coprosma cv. Taiko. Both forms occur throughout the Chatham Islands, though the flat form is more common in sand dunes and the other in forest, peat bog and along lake margins

Threats

An island endemic, and perhaps one of the few Chatham Island endemics which is still very common on all the main islands. It is considered Range Restircted only by virtue of the small geographic area it occupies

Chromosome No.

2n = 44

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Where To Buy

The form Coprosma cv. Taiko is very commonly sold by retail plant nurseries, the other form, corresponding to the type is very rarely available from specialist native plant nurseries, such as the Department of Conservation run one at Motukarara, near Lincoln.

 
       
 

This page last updated on 18 Nov 2014