Coprosma grandifolia
Common names
kanono, manono, large-leaved coprosma, raurekau
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Simplified description
Large shrub with pairs of thin wavy, mottled leaves. Leaves to 20cm long, oval, pointed, with small pits at junction of veins. Sharp dark point on stem between pairs of leaves. Fruit orange to red, on obvious stalks in open clusters.
Flower colours
Green, White
Detailed description
Shrub or small tree up to c. 6 m tall; plants much branched from base or with single trunk; branches and branchlets glabrous, smooth, under bark green. Interpetiolar stipules conspicuous, broadly deltoid, then tapering, apex with 2 porminent darkly pigmented denticles, glabrous. Leaves on smooth glabrous petioles 20-30 mm long; Lamina (100-)150-300 × (50-)70-100 mm, broadly elliptic to obovate, apex subacute or apiculate, base gradually narrowed to petiole; membranous to sub-coriaceous, adaxially dull glossy green or green mottled with maroon or purple, abaxially paler, margins flat or weakly undulose waved, rarely finely crenulate; venation prominent, reticulations conspicuous on both leaf surfaces, fine and close-set. Flowers in clusters on trichotomously branched peduncles up to 80 m. long. Male flowers with 4-5-toothed cupular calyx; corolla narrow-funnelform, lobes usually 5, acute, < tube; stamens us. 5. Female flowers usually with small stipulate bracts at axils of branches; calyx-teeth 5, small, acute; corolla tubular, lobes 5, narrow-triangular, acute, ± the same length as tube. Drupe reddish orange, oblong, 7-9 mm. long
Similar taxa
Easily distinguished by the very large, broad, yellow-green leaves which are variously mottled with dark green or purple, and have prominent leaf “drip-tips”, and by the very large, entirely glandular leaf stipules - seen otherwise only in the very different looking Coprosma waima. It also differs from all of the other similar large-leaved species by its usually autumnal flowering pattern.
Distribution
Endemic. North to South Islands. In the South Island extending to Lake Ianthe in the west and the Marlborough Sounds in the east.
Habitat
Common in the understorey of forest, and in sheltered shady sites from the coast to montane and cloud forest. In areas of high rainfall can be a major component of shrublands, and within regenerating forest. Often common along the margins of logging tracks and roads.
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | Not Threatened
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Coprosma autumnalis Colenso
Taxonomic notes
For at least the last 30 years this Coprosma was known in New Zealand by the name Coprosma grandifolia. Recently Large et al. (2020) have shown that Coprosma grandifolia is a superfluous name for C. lucida J.R.Forst. et G.Forst. because it includes the type of Ronabea australis A. Rich. (Coprosma australis (A.Rich.) B.L.Rob.), necessitating the reinstatement of Coprosma autumnalis Colenso for the plant known to iwi as kanono. Therefore the name Coprosma autumnalis Colenso with an unequivocal type was reinstated, and this view was accepted by the Spermatophyte Subcommittee of the ICN (Applequist 2023) until another vote was pushed to reject that name, reinstate C. grandifolia as a conserved name, with a new conserved type following the proposal of Perrie (2021). Unfortunately this view, narrowly accepted by the Spermatophyte subcommittee has been favoured. So Coprosma grandifolia is again in use for this plant.
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
(March-) April (-June) but may also occasionally flower in September.
Fruiting
(September-) October-January (-April)
Propagation technique
Very easy from fresh seed. Also easy from semi-hardwood cuttings. Prefers a shaded site in damp soil but will tolerate most garden situations.
Wetland plant indicator status rating
Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland). If you have suggestions for the Wetland Indicator Status Rating, please contact: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
FACU: Facultative Upland
Occasionally is a hydrophyte but usually occurs in uplands (non-wetlands).
Other information
Etymology
coprosma: From the Greek kopros ‘dung’ and osme ‘smell’, referring to the foul smell of the species, literally ‘dung smell’
grandifolia: Big leaved
Manaaki Whenua Online Interactive Key
NVS code
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.
COPGRA
Chromosome number
2n = 44
Previous conservation statuses
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Not Threatened
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Regional conservation statuses
Auckland: 2025 | Regionally Not Threatened | Qualifiers: DPS, DPT
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Auckland conservation status information is sourced from the “Conservation status of vascular plant species in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland” Simpkins E et al. (2025) report.
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Allan, H.H. 1961: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. I. Government Printer, Wellington.
Applequist, W.L. 2023: Report of the Nomenclature Committee for Vascular Plants: 74. Taxon 72: 908−922. https://doi.org/10.1002.tax.12993Applequist, W.L. 2023: Report of the Nomenclature Committee for Vascular Plants: 74. Taxon 72: 908−922. https://doi.org/10.1002.tax.12993
Large, M.F.; Mabberly, D.J.; Wood, E. 2020: Coprosma autumnalis (kanono; Rubiaceae) in New Zealand: nomenclature, iconography and phenology, Kew Bulletin 75: 37-43. DOI 10.1007/S12225-020-9876-4
Perrie, L.R. 2021: Proposal to conserve the name Coprosma grandifolia (Rubiaceae) with a conserved type. Taxon 70(1): 211.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (30 August 2005). Description adapted from Allan (1961).
Some of this factsheet information is derived from Flora of New Zealand Online and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand licence.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Coprosma grandifolia Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/coprosma-grandifolia/ (Date website was queried)