Coprosma spathulata subsp. hikuruana
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
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 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: OL
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Simplified description
Low-growing sprawling shrub with long flexible twigs bearing pairs of small round leaves with a narrow long (to 23mm long) dark leaf stalk inhabiting the northern tip of the North Island. Fruit dark violet.
Flower colours
Green, Red/Pink
Detailed description
Prostrate, evergreen, dioecious trailing shrub producing numerous spreading, long-trailing branches up to 10 m long; these sometimes rooting at leaf nodes. Main stem usually solitary, prostrate; branches sparse to numerous, leafy. Leaves opposite, spathulate; petioles up to 23 mm, stout, winged; lamina 6-15 x 8-15 mm, dull red-brown, mottled dark green, yellow or white with darker veins, flat, spreading, orbicular to broad oblong, coriaceous, apex retuse to emarginate sometimes obcordate; domatia 2-6 or absent. Stipules 0.8-0.9 mm, narrowly triangular, pubescent with a single dark central denticle. Flowers axillary, solitary or paired, in axils of uppermost leaves. Male flowers maroon or green streaked maroon. Corolla 5-6 mm; tube 1.5-2 mm, elliptic; lobes 3-4, lanceolate to ovate-elliptic. Stamens 2-4. Female flowers similar, with smaller obovoid corolla, lobes 2-4, linear-lanceolate. Stigmas 2. Drupes ellipsoid, 5-9 x 2-4.5 mm, dull violet-black.
Similar taxa
Coprosma spathulata subsp. hikuruana is very close to C. spathulata subsp. spathulata. However that subspecies is an upright shrub of forested habitats whose fruits are globose, dull black, orange or red. It has never been found growing on ultramafic rocks. On the Surville Cliffs C. spathulata subsp. hikuruana could be confused with Coprosma neglecta , but that species never has long trailing stems up to 10 m long, nor spathulate leaves, and it always has globose red fruits.
Distribution
Endemic. North Island, where it is known only from the 120 ha exposure of ultramafic rocks at the North Cape Scientific Reserve, Surville Cliffs.
Habitat
Coastal cliffs. Restricted to ultramafic Rock and soils in shaded sites, under rock overhangs and creeping beneath low scrub.
Threats
Threatened by the small numbers of plants known from the wild (< 200), on going weed invasion of the ultramafic rocks and soils, browsing animals (possums, horses, pigs and cattle), and potentially by fires.
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
None
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
July - October
Fruiting
January
Propagation technique
Although it can be grown from seed, semi-hardwood cuttings or layered pieces it is very slow, and fruits produced by cultivated plants may be of hybrid origin, as male and female plants are rarely grown together.
Other information
Etymology
coprosma: From the Greek kopros ‘dung’ and osme ‘smell’, referring to the foul smell of the species, literally ‘dung smell’
spathulata: Shaped like a flattened spoon (leaves)
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.
COPSSH
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 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: OL
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: OL
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: CD, HI, OL
2004 | Threatened – Nationally Critical
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 1 July 2005. Description adapted from de Lange & Heenan (2001).
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Coprosma spathulata subsp. hikuruana Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/coprosma-spathulata-subsp-hikuruana/ (Date website was queried)