Coriaria angustissima
Poisonous plant
Common name
small-leaved tutu
Family
Coriariaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
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.
CORANG
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley.
2012 | Not Threatened
Previous conservation statuses
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Brief description
Low-growing bushy spreading shrub consisting of many erect branches bearing feathery dark green very narrow pointed leaves 7-10mm long by 1-2mm wide inhabiting wetter upland South and Stewart Island areas. Branches square in cross-section, soft. Fruit black, arranged in a short spike.
Flower colours
Green, Yellow
Life cycle
Fleshy berries are dispersed by frugivory (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Etymology
coriaria: From the Latin corium ‘hide’, possibly from the use of some species for tanning leather
angustissima: From the Latin angustus ‘narrow, constricted’ and the superlative suffix -issumus, meaning ‘very constricted, narrow’
Poisonous plant
All Coriaria species are poisonous especially the seed inside the black berries. Click on this link for more information about Poisonous native plants.
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