Coriaria pottsiana
Poisonous plant
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.
CORPOT
Chromosome number
2n = 60
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 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR, Sp
Previous conservation statuses
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Range Restricted
Brief description
Low-growing bushy spreading bronze shrub consisting of many erect soft square branches bearing bronze rounded wavy leaves 6-8mm long by 5-6mm wide inhabiting peaks in the East Cape. Leaves widest about the middle, with obvious side veins. Flowers arranged in a 4-14cm long spike at end of twigs.
Flower colours
White
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
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