Species

Coprosma dumosa

Etymology

Coprosma: from the Greek kopros 'dung' and osme 'smell', referring to the foul smell of the species, literally 'dung smell'
dumosa: Bushy or shrubby

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 dumosa (Cheeseman) G.T.Jane

Family

Rubiaceae

Brief Description

A bushy, small-leaved shrub with 'layered' branches; mostly common in higher rainfall montane forests and shrublands from the Kaimai Range southwards to Stewart Island." Also in the drier South Island. Leaves small, elliptic, 4-6mm long, in clusters of pairs, thick, with 1-2 pits on underside, main vein on underside reaching the leaf tip, with tiny hairs on margin in wet areas. Fruit orange or red (mostly white/transluscent in North Island).

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

COPDMO

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 parviflora var. dumosa Cheeseman; Coprosma tayloriae A.P.Druce ex G.T.Jane

Distribution

Endemic. North Island from Kaimai Range south; South Island (rare in Fiordland), Stewart Island.

Similar Taxa

Most likely to be confused with Coprosma parviflora Hook.f. which differs by the undersides of leaves being distinctly hairy (glabrous to glabrescent in C. dumosa), violet black fruits (white, pink or yellow in C. dumosa), and different chromosome number (2n = 132 in C. parviflora, 2n = 88 in C. dumosa). Furthermore, C. parviflora is confined to the northern North Island.

Flowering

October - November (-January)

Fruiting

February-April (-October)

Propagation Technique

Easy from fresh seed, and semi-hardwood cuttings. In warmer climates does best in a shaded site or planted within a deep, moist soil.

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).

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 31 May 2015