''Coprosma repens'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

flowering A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...

shrub or small

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

of the

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

Coprosma ''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. Description The name ''Copros ...

'', in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Rubiaceae The Rubiaceae are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the coffee, madder, or bedstraw family. It consists of terrestrial trees, shrubs, lianas, or herbs that are recognizable by simple, opposite leaves with interpetiolar stipules a ...

, native to New Zealand. Common names include taupata, tree bedstraw, mirror bush, looking-glass bush, New Zealand laurel and shiny leaf.

Description

The habit of this species varies markedly with its situation. In exposed situations, such as cliffs, it assumes a prostrate habit, while in more sheltered areas it can grow as a small tree up to 8 metres in height. It has thick and very glossy leaves which vary considerably in size, depending on exposure to the elements. The leaf margins are recurved, occasionally to the extent that the leaf may be cylindrical in cross-section. The shiny leaves aid its survival near coastal locations. ''C. repens'' is dioecious. Flowers are produced in spring and summer, with the male flowers appearing in dense, compound clusters, and the female flowers in smaller clusters. Male flowers have a funnel shaped corolla that is 5 mm long, with lobes equal to the tube. Female flowers have a short calyx, and a tubular corolla 3 mm long, with lobes shorter than the tube. Female plants produce orange-red ovoid drupes, which are about 8 mm in diameter and 10 mm in length.

Distribution

The species is native to the North Island, South Island,

Kermadec Islands The Kermadec Islands ( mi, Rangitāhua) are a subtropical island arc in the South Pacific Ocean northeast of New Zealand's North Island, and a similar distance southwest of Tonga. The islands are part of New Zealand. They are in total ar ...

and

Three Kings Islands 3 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 3, three, or III may also refer to: * AD 3, the third year of the AD era * 3 BC, the third year before the AD era * March, the third month Books * '' Three of Them'' (Russian: ', literally, "three"), a 190 ...

in New Zealand. In Australia, it has become naturalised in coastal areas of Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania, and it is now classified as an environmental

weed A weed is a plant considered undesirable in a particular situation, "a plant in the wrong place", or a plant growing where it is not wanted.Harlan, J. R., & deWet, J. M. (1965). Some thoughts about weeds. ''Economic botany'', ''19''(1), 16-24. ...

Cultivation

The species has been popular in coastal gardens due to its resistance to salt spray. Although it prefers well-drained sandy soils, it can cope with heavier soils. There is a large number of

cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture ...

s: *'Coffee Cream' - creamy yellow leaf margins *'Coppershine' - foliage with a copper-bronze tinge *'Evening Glow' - golden foliage which changes to rich orange and pink-red shades during autumn and winter *'Marble Chips' - leaves with white margins and speckles *'Picturata' - leaves with a golden central area *'Pink Splendour' - leaves have pink and maroon shaded margins *'Rainbow Surprise' - a small cultivar with small pink and yellow-green leaves *'Taupata Gold' - cream leaves with green centres *'Variegata' - leaves with a creamy-white margin *'Yvonne' - compact form with dark-green leaves The cultivars 'Marble Queen' and 'Picturata' have gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nor ...

's Award of Garden Merit (confirmed 2017).

Gallery

File:Coffeecream.jpg, 'Coffee Cream' - a garden variety File:Coppershine.jpg, 'Copper Shine' File:Comprosmaevening.jpg, 'Evening Glow' File:Comprosmainferno.jpg, 'Inferno' File:Marble Chips.jpg, 'Marble Chips' variety File:Starr 071024-0175 Coprosma repens.jpg, 'Picturata' File:Pink splendour.jpg, 'Pink Splendour' File:Rainbowsunrise.jpg, 'Rainbow Sunshine' File:Comprosmatequila.jpg, 'Tequila Sunrise' variety File:Comprosmawings.jpg, 'Wax Wings' variety File:Coprosmavariegeta.jpg, 'Variegeta'

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5168970 repens Flora of the Kermadec Islands Flora of the North Island Flora of the South Island Ornamental plants