Species

Coprosma perpusilla subsp. perpusilla

Etymology

Coprosma: from the Greek kopros 'dung' and osme 'smell', referring to the foul smell of the species, literally 'dung smell'
perpusilla: tiny, very small

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 perpusilla Colenso subsp. perpusilla

Family

Rubiaceae

Brief Description

Dwarf low-growing sprawling shrub forming patches to 60cm in diameter with erect pairs of narrow small hairless leaves inhabiting open upland areas. Leaves 3-6mm long, fleshy, often with a small brown fleck at base. Small group of hairs on stem between leaf bases. Fruit red and containing four seeds.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

COPPSP

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

Coprosma pumila Hook.f. auct.non.

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 132

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

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

Where To Buy

Occasionally offered by specialist native plant nurseries

Taxonomic notes

New Zealand plants now known as Coprosma niphophila Orchard, C. perpusilla subsp. subantarctica Orchard and C. perpusilla Orchard subsp. perpusilla were previously all referred to C. pumila Hook.f. which is endemic to Tasmania.

References and further reading

Thorsen, M. J.; Dickinson, K. J. M.; Seddon, P. J. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285-309

This page last updated on 24 Jun 2014