The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Coprosma serrulata

Etymology

Coprosma: from the Greek kopros 'dung' and osme 'smell', referring to the foul smell of the species, literally 'dung smell'
serrulata: rough edged

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Not Threatened

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 - Not Threatened
2004 - Not Threatened

Authority

Coprosma serrulata Hook.f. ex Buchanan

Family

Rubiaceae

Brief Description

Low growing sprawling shrub with pairs of leathery leaves which have the veins sunken into the upper surface and a finely notched margin (lens needed) inhabiting mountain areas of the South Island. Leaves 4-7cm long, rounded. Several small dark teeth on stem between leaf bases. Fruit red.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

COPSER

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs

Synonyms

None (first described in 1871)

Distribution

Endemic. South Island: Marlborough and North-west Nelson south

Habitat

Montane to lower subalpine. Clearings within forest, in shrubland, grassland, herbfield and at the base of talus slopes and screes amongst boulders. Usually found growing amongst other lower growing shrubs and grasses.

Features

Erect to depressed bushy shrub up to 1 × 1 m tall; branches very stout though pliant, spreading, with white papery bark falling in flakes; branchlets rather stout, glabrous. Leaves on coriaceous winged petioles 10-15 mm long. Stipules broadly deltoid to subtruncate, glabrescent; denticles prominent 10-12 of more or less equal size, pale green to more or less colourless. Lamina somewhat cartilaginous, thick and coriaceous, 40-70 × 25-40 mm, subrotund to broad-obovate or obovate-oblong; apex rounded to subtruncate, mucronate; dark green, somewhat rugulose above, paler below; margins crenulate-serrulate. Reticulated veins evident on both surfaces. Male flowers several together on very short axillary peduncles; calyx 0; corolla subcampanulate, lobes 4-5, oblong-triangular, acuminate, ciliolate; stamens 4-6. Female flowers solitary on short axillary peduncles; calyx truncate, teeth 2; corolla tubular, lobes narrow-triangular, acute to subacuminate, < tube. Drupe 7-8 mm long, red, broad-oblong.

Similar Taxa

Coprosma serrulata is not likely to be confused with any other Coprosma species. The large, thick, leathery leaves with their finely crenulate-serrulate leaf margins are quite unlike any other Coprosma species.

Flowering

September - October

Flower Colours

Green

Fruiting

April - July

Propagation Technique

Easily grown from fresh seed and semi-hardwood cuttings but slow growing and intolerant of warm or humid conditions. Does best in a cool, south facing situation planted amongst rocks in a deep, fertile free draining soil. An attractive species that is sadly not often seen in cultivation

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 44

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Fleshy drupes are dispersed by frugivory (Thorsen et al., 2009).

This page last updated on 18 Nov 2014