Coprosma J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.
Plants prevailingly dioec., but with several types of sexual expression. Fls solitary or in fascicles or cymes, seated in a cup formed by the partial fusion of 2 stipulate bracts (forming a calyculus). Calyx-teeth 4-5, us. minute, often absent in ♂. Corolla-tube us. narrow-funnelform, sts campanulate, lobes valvate. Stamens us. inserted near base of corolla-tube; filaments filiform; anthers us. far-exserted, ± sagittate, apiculate, pend. Ovary us. 2-loculed; styles us. 2, very slender, sts narrowly clavate in stigmatic region, us. far-exserted. Fr. a succulent ± globose drups with 2-(4) plano-convex pyrenes, us. crowned by withered persistent calyx. Shrubs or trees with simple opp. lvs and interpetiolar stipules us. gland-tipped when young. Over 90 spp., c. 45 in N.Z., c. 20 in Hawaii; a few in Borneo, Java, New Guinea, islands of the Pacific Ocean to Australia, Tasmania. The N.Z. spp. endemic except C. pumila. Type sp. C. lucida.
SYNOPSIS
- A. Subgenus MICROCOPROSMA.
- Fls solitary or in few-fld fascicles, sessile or subsessile, terminal on Ify branchlets or on short arrested branchlets, sts appearing axillary by extreme reduction of branchlets. Lvs small, seldom > 25 mm. long. Prostrate to rambling or erect bushy shrubs. Type sp. c. rotundifolia.
- Section 1. Pumilae.
- Fls solitary, terminal on lfy branchlets. Corolla-lobes short; style-branches 2-4; pyrenes 2-4. Drupes red or pale blue. Branchlets glab.; lvs of ovate order, ± 4-10 mm. long, midrib alone visible. Stipules broadly triangular, subacute, ciliolate. Shrubs with prostrate and rooting stems and branches.
- Lvs broad, drupes bright red:
- 1. pumila.
- Lvs narrow, drupes port-wine red or blue:
- 2. petriei.
- Section 2. Acerosae.
- Fls solitary, terminal on arrested branchlets. ♂ without calyx: ♀ with corolla-lobes ± = tube. Drupes pale blue or with pale blue flecks. Branchlets pubescent, ± interlacing. Lvs of narrow-linear order, fascicled in pairs on arrested branchlets, midrib alone distinct. Stipules obtuse, ciliolate. Shrubs, prostrate or low-growing, branchlets seldom, rooting.
- Plants prostate or low-growing-stems and lvs yellowish green:
- 3. acerosa;
- stems and lvs dark brownish green:
- 4. brunnea.
- Plants erect or spreading-shrub lax, branchlets slender:
- 5. intertexta;
- shrub stiff, branchlets stout:
- 6. rugosa.
- Section 3. Antipodae.
- Fls solitary or few together, terminal on short branchlets. ♂ without calyx, ♀ with corolla-tube ± = lobes. Branchlets pubescent. Lvs of linear to narrow-oblong order, midrib alone evident. Stipules of bluntly ovate order, sheath short. Erect to low-growing shrubs.
- Lvs membr.;
- 7. antipoda;
- lvs coriac;
- 8. cheesemanii.
- Section 4. Pseudocuneatae.
- Fls solitary, terminal on short branchlets; ♂ without calyx, ♀ with ± tubular corolla. Drupes red. Branchlets finely pubescent. Lvs of obovate- to cuneate-oblong order; midrib and us. principal secondary veins visible. at least below. Stipules of bluntly ovate order, sheath short, Depressed to erect or spreading shrubs.
- Branches slender, rooting towards base:
- 9. depressa;
- branches stouter, not rooting towards base:
- 10. pseudocuneata.
- Section 5. Linariifoliae.
- ♂ in small fascicles terminating lateral branchlets, calyx 0; ♀ solitary, terminal on lateral branchlets. Drupes white. Branchlets puberulous; lvs of linear to lanceolate order, coriac. Midrib and sts principal secondary veins us. evident. Stipules connate into long sheath with 2 acute tips. Trees or shrubs.
- 11. linariifolia.
- Section 6. Parviflorae.
- Fls terminal or axillary; ♂ solitary or 2-3 together, with or without a minute calyx; ♀ with long acute lobes to corolla. Drupes variously coloured. Branchlets pubescent (sts glab. in propinqua). Stipules small, pubescent, sts connate into short sheath. Lvs small, of linear to oblong or obovate order. Midrib and sts principal secondary veins evident, or also reticulations visible, at least below. Erect, spreading, or sts prostrate, ± divaricate shrubs.
- Lamina of linear order, midrib alone evident, drupes white:
- 12. microcarpa.
- Lamina broader, principal secondary veins evident (sts reticulations also, at least below) -drupes yellow, lamina-margins densely ciliate:
- 13. ciliata;
- drupes white (occ. purplish), lamina-margins glab. or nearly so:
- 14. parviflora;
- drupes pale blue, us. with dark blue flecks, lamina-margins glab. or nearly so:
- 15. propinqua.
- Section. 7. Cuneatae.
- Fls solitary, terminal on arrested often minute branchlets. Drupes small, red or yellowish red. Branchlets pubescent. Lvs narrow-cuneate to narrow-or broad-oblong, retuse (sts minutely so). Midrib alone or also principal secondary veins evident, occ. reticulations also visible at least below. Stipules triangular, acute to cuspidate, minutely to long ciliate. Small spreading shrubs.
- Fls sessile or subsessile-lamina and stipules entire:
- 16. cuneata; 17. astonii;
- lamina very minutely crenulate towards apex, stipules denticulate:
- 18. crenulata.
- Fls on distinct down-curved peduncles-lvs narrow-oblong:
- 19. banksii;
- lvs broad-oblong:
- 20 colensoi.
- Section 8. Foetidae.
- Fls solitary, terminal. ♂ without calyx, corolla-lobes (4)-5-7; ♀ with truncate minutely toothed calyx; corolla-lobes 4-5, acute, ciliate. Drupes pale orange, 7-10 mm. long. Branchlets glab; lvs up to ± 5 cm. long, foetid. Stipules acuminate, the subfloral ones denticulate. Bushy shrubs.
- 21. foetidissima.
- Section 9. Rigidae.
- Fls solitary or sts 2-4 together, terminal on arrested branchlets. ♂ without calyx, ♀ with narrow acute corolla-lobes. Drupes variously coloured. Branchlets pubescent, at least when young. Lvs coriac., small, of obovate to oblong order, glab. or with ciliolate margins. Reticulations us. evident on both surfaces. Stipules triangular, glab. or ciliolate. Divaricating shrubs with ± rigid branchlets.
- Drupes red:
- 22. wallii.
- Drupes yellowish white-lvs coriac.:
- 23. obconica;
- lvs thin;
- 24. rubra.
- Drupes yellow to orange-lvs with evident venation:
- 25. rigida;
- lvs with obscured venation:
- 26. crassifolia.
- Section 10. Rotundifoliae.
- Fls solitary or up to 2-4-(6) together, terminal on arrested branchlets, or appearing axillary by extreme reduction of branchlets. ♂ without calyx, ♀ with minute calyx-teeth. Drupes red to dark red or almost black. Branchlets slender, pubescent (sts nearly glab. in virescens). Lvs small, of ovate to orbicular order, sts spathulate, plants sts also bearing linear to lanceolate lvs. Stipules free or connate. Erect to depressed ± divaricate shrubs.
- Drupes yellowish white, stipules distinctly connate, ♂ with corolla-lobes distinctly > tube:
- 27. virescens.
- Drupes clear red, stipules distinctly connate, ♂ with corolla-lobes distinctly > tube:
- 28. rotundifolia.
- Drupes dark red to dark purple or almost black, stipules free or very shortly connate, ♂ with corolla-lobes ± = tube-Laminae ± uniform in shape on same plant, none of linear or narrow-lanceolate order, erect shrub; lvs glab.:
- 29. tenuicaulis;
- lvs ± pubescent, at least below and on margins:
- 30. areolata.
- -Laminae diverse in shape on same plant, at least some of linear to narrow-lanceolate order, us. small spreading shrubs; narrow lvs few, subcoriac.:
- 31. rhamnoides;
- narrow lvs many, membr.:
- 32. ploymorpha.
- Section 11. Spathulatae.
- Fls terminal on branches or branchlets. ♂ with evident calyx, lobes long. ♀ with distinct calyx-lobes, corolla-lobes > tube. Drupes red to black or white. Branchlets pubescent, lvs of suborbicular order, spathulate by broadly winged petioles. Stipules short, obtuse, ± cuspidate. Reticulations evident on one or both surfaces. Shrubs or trees, ± fastigiate.
- Fls solitary or few together, drupes dark orange to nearly black:
- 33. spathulata.
- ♂ in dense clusters, ♀ in few-fld clusters, drupes white:
- 34. arborea.
- B. Subgenus SERRULA.
- Fls axillary, appearing sessile or subsessile by reduction of peduncles. ♂ several together, calyx 0, corolla 4-5-lobed. ♀ solitary or few together, calyx-teeth minute, corolla 3-5-lobed. Drupes red. Branchlets glab. Lvs of rotund to broad-obovate order, reticulations evident at least below; margins cartilaginous, regularly minutely crenulate-serrulate. Stipules large, denticulate. Depressed to low-growing shrubs with stout branches and white flaking bark. Type sp. C. serrulata.
- 35. serrulata.
- C. Subgenus COPROSMA.
- Fls clustered on axillary simple or branched peduncles, clusters us. many-fld. Drupes of orange to red colour. Shrubs, us. tall, or small trees. Lvs large. Type sp. C. lucida.
- Section 1. Australes.
- Fls clustered on axillary simple to trichotomously branched peduncles. Calyx and corolla 4-5-toothed (calyx absent in ♂ of tenuifolia). ♂ with acute calyx- and corolla-lobes. ♀ with corolla-lobes < tube. Drupes orange to dark orange-red. Branchlets glab. Lvs large, reticulations us. evident on both surfaces. Stipules sheathing, acuminate. Erect to spreading trees or shrubs.
- Lvs membr. or thinly coriac.-peduncles simple, slender:
- 36. tenuifolia;
- peduncles branched, slender:
- 37. acutifolia;
- peduncels branched, stout:
- 38. australis.
- Lvs coriac., thick-drupes not > c. 9 mm. long:
- 39. robusta;
- drupes (10)-15-25 mm. long:
- 40. macrocarpa.
- Section 2. Petiolatae.
- Fls with long corolla-tube. ♂ in clusters on branches of peduncles, calyx minute (absent in chathamica). ♀ in few-fld clusters on very short branches of peduncles, occ. solitary. Drupes orange- to yellowish-red. Branchlets densely to sparsely pubescent or glab. Lvs large, coriac., glossy, of broad-oblong order. Reticulations evident, at least below. Stipules acute, pubescent or glab. Trees or shrubs, us. coastal.
- Petioles and branchlets shout, pubescent; stipules cuspidate, densely long-ciliate:
- 41. chathamica.
- petioles and branchlets slender, pubescent; stipules acute, pubescent:
- 42. petiolata. Petioles and branchlets stout, gla b. or nearly so; stipules glab., acu te, den ticulate:
- Section 3. Lucidae.
- Fls with short corolla-tube. ♂ in dense clusters on simple or trichotomously branched peduncles; calyx-lobes short, obtuse, corolla-lobes acute, ± = tube. ♀in 3-4-fld clusters on short trichotomously branched peduncles; calyx-lobes 4-6 acute. Drupes orange-red. Branchlets glab. Lvs large, of obovate to obovate-oblong order; stipules triangular, short. Shrubs or trees.
- Lvs thick, calyx-teeth minute:
- 44 lucida.
- Lvs thin, calyx-teeth conspicuous:
- 45. dodonaeifolia.
Key
Although flowering is us. in the spring months and fruit-ripening in autumn, there is considerable diversity in the range for any sp. and any individual; "out of season" flowering is also occ.
Hooker (Fl. N.Z. 1, 1853, 103) remarks of the spp. recognized by him: " they are so variable, that I quite despair of reducing them to anything like proper order; they are most frequently dioecious, and the inconspicuous green flowers in many cases afford but indifferent characters; the berries vary extremely in size according to situation and moisture, as do the leaves in size and form, and the plant in habit." Of Cunningham's spp. he remarks: " his descriptions are insufficient and inaccurate, and the species in his herbarium have been mixed by himself, and do not tally well with his own descriptions." He divides the spp. into 4 sections. Cheeseman (T.N.Z.I 19, 1887, 218-252) monographed the genus, adopted Hooker's groupings and made further subdivisions. He remarks: " Next to Veronica the genus Coprosma is the most puzzling in the New Zealand Flora." Kirk (Stud. Fl. 1899, 229-230) mainly followed Cheesman's arrangement, which was further revised by Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 856-858).
Oliver (Bull. Bishop Mus., Honolulu 132, 1935, 18-22) does not differ greatly from Cheeseman, except that he subdivides his sections into a number of small groups. He however, almost completely reverses the order of the descriptions on phylogenetic grounds. I follow, in large part. Oliver's order(for convenience of reference, not from any convictions concerning phylogenetic development.