Coprosma

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Coprosma rhamnoides 11.JPG | image_caption = ''Coprosma rhamnoides'' | display_parents = 2 | taxon = Coprosma | authority = J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. | synonyms = *''Caprosma'' G.Don *''Eurynome'' DC. *''Marquisia'' A.Rich. ex DC. *''Pelaphia'' Banks & Sol. ex A.Cunn. }}

'''''Coprosma''''' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It is found in New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Borneo, Java, New Guinea, islands of the Pacific Ocean to Australia and the Juan Fernández Islands.<ref name="WCSP">{{cite web|url=https://apps.kew.org/wcsp/qsearch.do?plantName=Coprosma|title=''Coprosma'' in the World Checklist of Rubiaceae|access-date=13 June 2014}}</ref>

==Description== The name ''Coprosma'' means "smelling like dung"<ref>{{cite book |last1=Forster |first1=Johann Reinhold |title=Characteres generum plantarum, quas in itinere ad insulas maris Australis: collegerunt, descripserunt, delinearunt, annis 1772-1775 |date=1776 |doi=10.5962/bhl.title.4448}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|vauthors=Verstraete B, De Block P, Robbrecht E|year=2025|title=A survey of generic names in Rubiaceae (Gentianales) with notes on context and patterns in naming|journal=Taxon|volume=74|issue=5|pages=1153-1171|doi=10.1002/tax.13360|doi-access=free}}</ref> and refers to the smell (methanethiol) given out by the crushed leaves of a few species.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Cambie |first1=R.C. |title=A New Zealand Phytochemical Register — Part III. |journal=Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand |date=August 1976 |volume=6 |issue=3 |pages=307–379 |doi=10.1080/03036758.1976.10421479}}</ref>

Many species are shrubs or subshrubs with tiny evergreen leaves, but some are small trees and some have much larger leaves.<ref>{{cite thesis |last=Cantley |first= J. T. |date=2014 |title=Evolution and historical biogeography of pacific coprosma (Rubiaceae) |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1611733261 |work= |degree=Doctor of Philosophy |location=Hawai'i |publisher=ProQuest Dissertations & Theses |access-date=2025-09-21}}</ref> The flowers have insignificant petals and are wind-pollinated, with long anthers and stigmas. Most species are dioecious, but some (particularly those native to New Zealand) species can sometimes have individuals with perfect flowers.<ref>{{cite journal|issn=2376-3191|journal=Records of the Hawaiian Biological Survey|title=Multiple Records of Monoecy and Leakiness in Dioecious Taxa of Hawaiian ''Coprosma'' spp. (Rubiaceae)|volume=118|pages=9–12|date=2016|author1=Cantley, J.T.|author2=D. Frohlich|author3=C.T. Martine}}</ref> Natural hybrids are common.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gardner |first1=Rhys |title=Tony Druces table of hybrid New Zealand coprosmas |journal=Auckland Botanical Society Journal |date=2002 |volume=57 |page=138-139 |url=https://bts.nzpcn.org.nz/site/assets/files/20566/auck_2002_57_2_138-139.pdf}}</ref> The fruits are non-poisonous juicy berries variously coloured bright orange, red, blue, white, or colourless, most often containing two small seeds.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Oliver |first1=W. R. B |title=The genus ''Coprosma'' |journal=Bernice P Bishop Museum Bulleting |date=1935 |volume=132 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015023270971}}</ref> The orange fruit of the larger species were eaten by Māori children, and are also popular with birds.{{Citation needed|date=September 2025}} It is said that coffee can be made from the seeds, ''Coprosma'' being related to the coffee plants.{{Citation needed|date=September 2025}} A notable feature of the genus is the domatia, hollows on the leaf undersides in the axils of leaf veins, that encourage certain kinds of mites to take up residence, which feed on and reduce parasitic fungi which attack the leaf.<ref name="Monks2007">{{cite journal|vauthors=Monks A, O'Connell DM, Lee WG, Bannister JM, KYS, Dickinson JM|year=2007|title=Benefits associated with the domatia mediated tritrophic mutualism in the shrub ''Coprosma lucida''|journal=Oikos|volume=116|issue=5|pages=873–881|doi=10.1111/j.0030-1299.2007.15654.x|bibcode=2007Oikos.116..873M }}</ref> Although some early research attributed to the domatia and stipules the ability to harbour nitrogen-fixing bacteria,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Stevenson |first1=Greta |title=Fixation of Nitrogen by Non-nodulated Seed Plants |journal=Annals of Botany |date=October 1959 |volume=23 |issue=4 |pages=622–635 |doi=10.1093/oxfordjournals.aob.a083680}}</ref> more rigorous tests found this not to be the case.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Silvester |first1=W. B. |last2=Astridge |first2=Sandra |title=Reinvestigation of Coprosma for ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen |journal=Plant and Soil |date=August 1971 |volume=35 |issue=1-3 |pages=647–650 |doi=10.1007/BF01372694}}</ref>

==Species== {{div col}} *''Coprosma acerosa'' A.Cunn. - {{not a typo|sand}} coprosma - New Zealand (incl. Stewart Island and Chatham Islands) *''Coprosma acutifolia'' Hook.f. - Raoul Island *''Coprosma arborea'' Kirk - tree coprosma, mamangi - New Zealand *''{{ill|Coprosma archboldiana|species}}'' Merr. & L.M.Perry - New Guinea *''Coprosma × arcuata'' Colenso - ''C. propinqua'' × ''C. robusta'' - New Zealand North Island *''Coprosma areolata'' Cheeseman - thin-leaved coprosma - New Zealand (incl. Stewart Island) *''Coprosma atropurpurea'' (Cockayne & Allan) L.B.Moore - New Zealand South Island *''Coprosma barbata'' Utteridge - New Guinea *''Coprosma baueri'' Endl. - Norfolk Island and Phillip Island *''{{ill|Coprosma benefica|species}}'' W.R.B.Oliv. - Pitcairn Islands *''Coprosma bougainvilleensis'' Gideon - Solomon Islands *''{{ill|Coprosma brassii|species}}'' Merr. & L.M.Perry - New Guinea *''Coprosma brunnea'' (Kirk) Cockayne - New Zealand South Island *''Coprosma × buchananii'' Kirk - ''C. crassifolia'' × ''C. robusta'' - southern New Zealand North Island *''Coprosma chathamica'' Cockayne - Chatham Islands *''Coprosma cheesemanii'' W.R.B.Oliv. - New Zealand (incl. Stewart Island) *''Coprosma ciliata'' Hook.f. - tree 7m tall - New Zealand, Antipodes Islands *''Coprosma colensoi'' Hook.f. - New Zealand (incl. Stewart Island) *''Coprosma × conferta'' A.Cunn. - ''C. propinqua'' × ''C. robusta'' - New Zealand *''{{ill|Coprosma cookei|species}}'' Fosberg - Tuha'a Pae *''Coprosma cordicarpa'' Cantley, Spock-Koehler, and Chau - Maui *''Coprosma crassifolia'' Colenso - stiff, red-brown branches - New Zealand *''Coprosma crenulata'' W.R.B.Oliv. - New Zealand (incl. Stewart Island) *''Coprosma cuneata'' Hook.f. - New Zealand South Island, Stewart Island, Antipodes Islands *''Coprosma × cunninghamii'' Hook.f. *''{{ill|Coprosma cymosa|species}}'' Hillebr. - Northwestern Hawaiian Islands *''Coprosma decurva'' Heads - New Zealand *''Coprosma depressa'' Colenso ex Hook.f. - New Zealand (incl. Stewart Island) *''{{ill|Coprosma divergens|species}}'' W.R.B.Oliv. - Papua New Guinea *''Coprosma dodonaeifolia'' W.R.B.Oliv. - Great Barrier Island *''Coprosma dumosa'' (Cheeseman) G.T.Jane - New Zealand *''Coprosma elatirioides'' de Lange & A.S.Markey - New Zealand South Island *''Coprosma elegans'' Utteridge - New Guinea *''{{ill|Coprosma elliptica|species}}'' W.R.B.Oliv. - Kauai *''Coprosma ernodeoides'' A.Gray - Hawaii, Maui *''Coprosma esulcata'' (F.Br.) Fosberg - Marquesas Islands *''{{ill|Coprosma fatuhivaensis|species}}'' W.L.Wagner & Lorence - Marquesas Islands *''Coprosma fernandeziana'' ined. - Robinson Crusoe Island *''Coprosma foetidissima'' J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. - Stinkwood, a small New Zealand tree with foul-smelling leaves *''{{ill|Coprosma foliosa|species}}'' A.Gray - Hawaiian Islands *''Coprosma fowerakeri'' D.A.Norton & de Lange - New Zealand South Island *''Coprosma glabrata'' J.W.Moore - Raiatea *''Coprosma × gracilicaulis'' Carse - ''C. rotundifolia'' × ''C. tenuicaulis'' - New Zealand North Island *''Coprosma × gracilis'' A.Cunn. - ''C. lucida'' × ''C. rhamnoides'' - New Zealand North Island *''Coprosma grandifolia'' Hook.f. kanono, a large bush with leaves 15 cm long or more; its bark contains an orange dye - New Zealand *''Coprosma hirtella'' Labill. - Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales *''Coprosma hookeri'' Stapf - Sabah *''Coprosma huttoniana'' P.S.Green - Lord Howe Island *''Coprosma inopinata'' I.Hutton & P.S.Green - Lord Howe Island *''Coprosma intertexta'' G.Simpson - New Zealand South Island *''{{ill|Coprosma kauensis|species}}'' (A.Gray) A.Heller - Kauai *''Coprosma × kirkii'' Cheeseman - ''C. acerosa'' × ''C. repens'' - New Zealand North Island *''Coprosma laevigata'' Cheeseman - Rarotonga *''Coprosma lanceolaris'' F.Muell. - Lord Howe Island *''Coprosma linariifolia'' (Hook.f.) Hook.f. - mikimiki, yellow wood - New Zealand *''{{ill|Coprosma longifolia|species}}'' A.Gray - Oahu *''Coprosma lucida'' J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. karamu, a small tree **''Coprosma lucida'' var. ''angustifolia'' Cheeseman - New Zealand North Island **''Coprosma lucida'' var. ''lucida'' - New Zealand (incl. Stewart Island) *''Coprosma macrocarpa'' Cheeseman large-seeded coprosma - New Zealand North Island (incl. Three Kings Islands) *''{{ill|Coprosma menziesii|species}}'' A.Gray - Hawaiian Islands *''{{ill|Coprosma meyeri|species}}'' W.L.Wagner & Lorence - Marquesas Islands *''Coprosma microcarpa'' Hook.f. - New Zealand *''Coprosma × molokaiensis'' H.St.John - ''C. ochracea'' × ''C. ternata'' - Molokai *''Coprosma montana'' Hillebr. - Hawaii, eastern Maui *''Coprosma moorei'' F.Muell. ex Rodway - Tasmania, Victoria *''Coprosma myrtifolia'' Noronha - Java *''Coprosma neglecta'' Cheeseman - New Zealand North Island *''Coprosma nephelephila'' J.Florence - Marquesas Islands *''Coprosma niphophila'' Orchard - New Zealand South Island, New South Wales *''Coprosma nitida'' Hook.f. - Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales *''{{ill|Coprosma nivalis|species}}'' W.R.B.Oliv. - Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales *''{{ill|Coprosma novaehebridae|species}}'' W.R.B.Oliv. - Vanuatu *''Coprosma obconica'' Kirk **''Coprosma obconica'' subsp. ''distantia'' de Lange & R.O.Gardner - New Zealand North Island **''Coprosma obconica'' subsp. ''obconica'' - New Zealand *''Coprosma ochracea'' W.R.B.Oliv. - Hawaiian Islands *''Coprosma oliveri'' Fosberg - Robinson Crusoe Island *''Coprosma papuensis'' W.R.B.Oliv. **''Coprosma papuensis'' subsp. ''discolor'' (P.Royen) R.O.Gardner - New Guinea **''Coprosma papuensis'' subsp. ''mopaensis'' R.O.Gardner - New Guinea **''Coprosma papuensis'' subsp. ''papuensis'' - New Guinea *''Coprosma parviflora'' Hook.f. - Leafy Coprosma - New Zealand *''Coprosma pedicellata'' Molly - New Zealand *''Coprosma perpusilla'' Colenso **''Coprosma perpusilla'' subsp. ''perpusilla'' - Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, New Zealand (incl. Stewart Island) **''Coprosma perpusilla'' subsp. ''subantarctica'' Orchard - Macquarie Island, Antipodes Islands *''{{ill|Coprosma persicifolia|species}}'' A.Gray - Fiji *''Coprosma petiolata'' Hook.f. - Kermadec Islands *''Coprosma petriei'' Cheeseman - mirror plant - New Zealand *''Coprosma pilosa'' Endl. - Norfolk Island *''{{ill|Coprosma polymorpha|species}}'' W.R.B.Oliv. - New Zealand South Island (incl. Stewart Island) *''Coprosma prisca'' W.R.B.Oliv. - Lord Howe Island *''Coprosma propinqua'' A.Cunn. - mingimingi **''Coprosma propinqua'' var. ''latiuscula'' Allan - New Zealand **{{ill|Coprosma propinqua var. martini|species|lt=''Coprosma propinqua'' var. ''martini''}} W.R.B.Oliv. - Chatham Islands **''Coprosma propinqua'' var. '' propinqua'' - New Zealand (incl. Stewart Island) *''Coprosma pseudociliata'' G.T.Jane - New Zealand *''Coprosma pseudocuneata'' W.R.B.Oliv. - New Zealand *''{{ill|Coprosma pubens|species}}'' A.Gray - Hawaiian Islands *''Coprosma pumila'' Hook.f. - Tasmania, Victoria *''Coprosma putida'' C.Moore & F.Muell. - Lord Howe Island *''Coprosma pyrifolia'' (Hook. & Arn.) Skottsb. - Juan Fernández Islands *''Coprosma quadrifida'' (Labill.) Rob. - Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales *''Coprosma raiateensis'' J.W.Moore - Raiatea *''Coprosma rapensis'' F.Br. - Tuha'a Pae, Pitcairn Islands *''Coprosma repens'' A.Rich. - taupata, mirror plant - native to New Zealand, naturalized in Australia (Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia) *''Coprosma reticulata'' J.Florence - Marquesas Islands *''Coprosma rhamnoides'' A.Cunn. - twiggy coprosma - New Zealand (incl. Stewart Island) *''{{ill|Coprosma rhynchocarpa|species}}'' A.Gray - Hawaii *''Coprosma rigida'' Cheeseman - New Zealand *''Coprosma robusta'' Raoul - karamu - New Zealand, Chatham Is., naturalized in Australia (Tasmania, Victoria) *''Coprosma rotundifolia'' A.Cunn. - New Zealand (incl. Stewart Island) *''Coprosma rubra'' Petrie - New Zealand *''Coprosma rugosa'' Cheeseman - needle-leaved mountain coprosma - New Zealand, Antipodes Islands *''{{ill|Coprosma savaiiensis|species}}'' Rech. - Samoa *''Coprosma serrulata'' Hook.f. ex Buchanan - New Zealand South Island *''{{ill|Coprosma setosa|species}}'' J.W.Moore - Raiatea *''Coprosma spathulata'' A.Cunn. **''Coprosma spathulata'' subsp. ''hikuruana'' de Lange & Heenan - New Zealand North Island **''Coprosma spathulata'' subsp. ''spathulata'' - New Zealand North Island *''{{ill|Coprosma stephanocarpa|species}}'' Hillebr. - Maui *''Coprosma strigulosa'' Lauterb. - Samoa *''Coprosma sundana'' Miq. - Java *''Coprosma × tadgellii'' W.R.B.Oliv. - ''C. nitida'' × ''C. nivalis'' - Victoria *''Coprosma tahitensis'' A.Gray - Tahiti, Tuha'a Pae *''Coprosma talbrockiei'' L.B.Moore & R.Mason - Victoria, New Zealand South Island *''{{ill|Coprosma temetiuensis|species}}'' W.L.Wagner & Lorence - Marquesas Islands *''Coprosma tenuicaulis'' Hook. - swamp coprosma - New Zealand *''Coprosma tenuifolia'' Cheeseman - wavy-leaved coprosma - New Zealand North Island *''{{ill|Coprosma ternata|species}}'' W.R.B.Oliv. - Molokai *''{{ill|Coprosma velutina|species}}'' Fosberg - Tuha'a Pae *''Coprosma virescens'' Petrie - New Zealand *''Coprosma waima'' A.P.Druce - New Zealand North Island *''Coprosma waimeae'' Wawra - Kauai *''Coprosma wallii'' Petrie - New Zealand South Island *''Coprosma wollastonii'' Wernham **''Coprosma wollastonii'' var. ''epiphytica'' (P.Royen) R.O.Gardner - New Guinea **''Coprosma wollastonii'' var. ''novoguineensis'' (Merr. & L.M.Perry) R.O.Gardner - New Guinea **''Coprosma wollastonii'' var. ''wollastonii'' - Sulawesi, New Guinea {{div col end}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/search.aspx?__VIEWSTATE=%2FwEPDwUKMTAwNTY3MzM4MGRk2VIBUl0c8JJ0OrrEMBcNzXoTvg8%3D&term=coprosma ''Coprosma'' specimens and botanical drawings in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411061411/https://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/search.aspx?__VIEWSTATE=/wEPDwUKMTAwNTY3MzM4MGRk2VIBUl0c8JJ0OrrEMBcNzXoTvg8%3D&term=coprosma |date=2020-04-11 }} * [http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/C/CoprosmaSpecies/CoprosmaSpecies/en Entry in Te Ara: An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966] * [https://biotanz.landcareresearch.co.nz/scientific-names/52226a18-d34f-4dc4-a86a-4b2e14e4075d Coprosma description: Landcare Research] * [https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/tools-and-resources/identification/key-to-coprosma-species-of-new-zealand/ Multi-access key to the ''Coprosma'' of New Zealand]

Category:Coprosma Category:Anthospermeae Category:Rubiaceae genera Category:Dioecious plants Category:Taxa named by Johann Reinhold Forster Category:Taxa named by Georg Forster