Volume I (1961) - Flora of New Zealand Indigenous Tracheophyta - Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledons
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Coprosma spathulata A.Cunn.

C. spathulata A. Cunn. in Ann. nat. Hist. 2, 1839, 207.

Type locality: "Shady rocks, Wangaroa &c." Type: K, A. Cunningham, 1826.

Sometwhat fastigiate shrub up to c. 2 m. tall, branches and branchlets slender, pubescent. Lvs on winged petioles 7-10-15 mm. long. Stipules narrow-triangular, obtuse, ± ciliolate, denticle prominent. Lamina thick, coriac., glab., ± glossy, orbicular to broad-oblong, truncate to emarginate or retuse, sts apiculate, narrowed to petiole; ± 10-20 × 10-20 mm. Midrib and principal veins evident, reticulations obscure. Fls solitary or paired, terminal on arrested branchlets. ♂ with long linear calyx-teeth; corolla tubular, lobes ovate, acute, > tube. ♀ with 4-5 acuminate calyx-teeth; corolla tubular, lobes narrow, acuminate, > tube. Drupe dark orange, red, or almost black, globose to oblong, 6-8 mm. long.

DIST.: N. Lowland forest from near North Cape to c. lat. 37º 30'.

Oliver (loc. cit. 98) remarks: "From several localities north of Auckland I have examined specimens with much smaller leaves than the normal ones. The petiole is generally much longer than the blade in such forms; thus, the leaf blade of a specimen from Great Omaha measured 4 by 5 mm and the petiole 9 mm."

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