The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Coprosma arborea

Etymology

Coprosma: from the Greek kopros 'dung' and osme 'smell', referring to the foul smell of the species, literally 'dung smell'
arborea: From the Latin arbor 'tree', meaning tree-like

Common Name(s)

mamangi, tree Coprosma

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 arborea Kirk

Family

Rubiaceae

Brief Description

Bushy small tree with pairs of small roundish thin leaves inhabiting the top half of the North Island. Trunk noticeable. Leaves thin, mottled, with small pit at junction of veins, in pairs with a small long-tipped scale between the base of the leaf stems. Fruit white.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

COPARB

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs

Synonyms

None (first described in 1878)

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: Three Kings and North Island, where found from Te Paki south to near Waitomo in the west and about Gisborne in the East

Habitat

Coastal to lower montane forest - but mostly coastal to lowland. Often forming the subcanopy in coastal kauri forest or mixed pohutukawa-hardwood forest. rarely, such as on Waiheke Island, forming a distinct forest type where it dominates the canopy.

Features

Tree 8-12 m tall; trunk 200-500 mm diameter; branches rather close-set, suberect to spreading; branchlets slender, pubescent. Petioles winged in upper ½, 8-20 mm long. Stipules short, triangular, connate near base, ciliolate, with prominent denticle. Adult lamina submembranous to subcoriaceous, glabrous, somewhat glossy, 50-80 × 30-48 mm, yellow-green, dark green above, usually mottled maroon or purple, pale wine-red below, ovate to broad-elliptic to oblong, sometimes suborbicular; apex rounded or retuse, sometimes apiculate or mucronulate; cuneately or abruptly narrowed to petiole; margins thickened, indistinctly waved, often subcrenulate; juvenile lamina 12-30 × 10-18 mm, spathulate, maroon, dark green mottled with maroon, undersides dull wine-red. Reticulations of lamina obscure above, usually distinct below. Male flower in dense glomerules, terminal on main and axillary branches; calyx-teeth linear, obtuse, ciliolate; corolla funnelform, lobes ovoid, acute, more or less = tube. Female flowers in clusters of 2-4; calyx-teeth obtuse, ciliolate; corolla-tube short, lobes long, acute. Drupe fleshy, 6-8 mm long, white, broad-oblong.

Similar Taxa

The juvenile plant is most likely to be confused with Coprosma spathulata subsp. spathulata as at this stage both species have spathulate leaves. Juvenile Coprosma aborea is most easily distinguished by running ones finger down a young branchlet. In this species the branchlet is smooth while in C. spathulata (both subspecies) the branchlet is finely rugose and so imparts a texture not unlike that of a cats tongue.

Flowering

September - December

Flower Colours

Green,Yellow

Fruiting

January - December

Propagation Technique

Easily grown from fresh seed and semi-hardwood cuttings. Often rather slow growing. Does best planted in a moderately fertile, free draining soil in semi-shade, though once established it will tolerate extremely sunny and dry conditions. A beautiful specimen tree.

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 44

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 3 Jul 2019