Species
Coprosma distantia
Etymology
Coprosma: from the Greek kopros 'dung' and osme 'smell', referring to the foul smell of the species, literally 'dung smell'
Common Name(s)
None known
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 - OL
2009 - CD, OL
Authority
Coprosma distantia (de Lange et R.O.Gardner) de Lange
Family
Rubiaceae
Brief Description
Rare bushy low-growing sprawling small-leaved wide-angled shrub inhabiting the northern tip of the North Island. Juvenile leaves mottled brown, adult leaves in sunny parts of plant to 12mm long, those in shaded parts to 20mm long, oval, glossy, margins curved, underside pale, tip with a small sharp point. Fruit yellowish.
Flora Category
Vascular - Native
COPDST
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 obconica subsp. distantia de Lange et R.O.Gardner. Also known by the tag names C. sp.(s) in Eagle (1982)
Distribution
Endemic. Known only from the 120 ha exposure of serpentinite rock, at the Surville Cliffs,North Cape Scientific Reserve.
Habitat
Restricted to ultramafic (serpentinite) rock, where it grows on cliff faces, boulderfields, talus slopes, and on the dark red clay soils which develop on this rock type. It does not like competition from taller shrubs and grasses, so mainly grows in exposed habitats.
Features
Prostrate densely matted divaricating shrubs, 0.1-02 x 2-5 m, branches long-trailing. Bark of mature twigs dark silver-grey to almost black, corky, inner bark dark green. Adult leaves of two types. Those in exposed conditions broadly elliptic to oblancelate, 3.5-12 x 1.5-2.5(-3.5) mm, dark green to almost orange -green, those in the shade up to 20 x 4.5 mm. Both types broadly elliptic to oblanceolate. Male and female plants on separate plants. Drupes (fruits) uniformly cream to pale lemon when fresh. Pyrenes (Seeds) 3.1-4.1(-4.4) x 2.0-2.5 mm, oblong-elliptic or elliptic, pale orange-yelow to light orange-yellow. For a full description see de Lange & Gardner (2002, New Zealand Journal of Botany 40(1): 25-38) where this species is treated as C. obconica subsp. distantia.
Similar Taxa
Coprosma obconica differs by its suberect to erect shrub habit, greenish-white or translucent white, fruits variously striped or blotched dark violet-purple, much smaller, clogg-shaped, promiently "notched" pyrenes (seeds). C. obconica rarely grows on ultramafic rock (only two instances, involving two plants known). Both species are vegetatively distinguished from New Zealand Coprosma species by their leaf tips, which possess a nipple-like "bull nose" apical leaf prolongation.
Flowering
April to October
Fruiting
January to November
Propagation Technique
Moderately easy from semi-hardwood or hardwood cuttings. Seed should germinate easily. Plants are very slow-growing (even slower than C. obconica s.s.).
Threats
No serious active threats are present.The species is very common on the ultramafic (serpentinite) rock. However although viable seed is frequently seen, seedlings remain as yet unknown. All of the Surville Cliffs ultramafic flora is placed at some level of risk due to the slow spread of pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana), needle bush (Hakea sericea), and downy hakea (Hakea gibbosa), fire, and from browsing animals.
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).
Where To Buy
Coprosma distantia is grown by a few specialist nurseries, and several botanic gardens. Plants are very slow growing. All cultivated material seems to be from a female clone bought into cultivation by the late A.P. (Tony) Druce from material he collected in 1979 the Surville Cliffs. This clone, unlike C. obconica s.s., freely forms sterile fruits, and occasionally hybrid fruit where it is grown in the vicinity of other Coprosma species.
Attribution
Description based on de Lange and Gardner (2002)
References and further reading
de Lange, P.J.; Gardner, R.O. 2002: A taxonomic reappraisal of Coprosma obconica Kirk (Rubiaceae: Anthospermeae). New Zealand Journal of Botany 40(1): 25-38.
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 23 Jun 2014