Coriaria sarmentosa
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.
CORSAR
Chromosome number
2n = 80
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
Common robust much branched large shrub inhabiting open or disturbed areas. Can cover large areas. Dying back in winter. Twigs square in cross-section, bearing pairs of 40-50mm long glossy green oval pointed leaves that do not have a leaf stalk. Flowers in spikes up to 8cm long. Fruit black.
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
sarmentosa: Twiggy
Poisonous plant
All parts of all Coriaria species are poisonous especially the seed inside the black berries. For more information see the entry under Coriaria arborea var arborea (tutu). 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