A new species ofCoprosmaSect.Acerosae(Rubiaceae) endemic to the South and Stewart Islands of New Zealand

Abstract

A new endemic addition to Coprosma Sect. Acerosae, Coprosma elatirioides, is described from New Zealand. The new species is a common shrub of mid to oligotrophic wetland habitats along the West Coast and in the southern third of the South Island, and on Stewart Island. Previously, Coprosma elatirioides was included within a broad circumscription of C. brunnea, from which it is distinguished by its non-flexuous branching habit, comparatively large, conspicuous and persistent calyces and a deeply divided corolla on female flowers, and restriction to wetland habitats. Coprosma elatirioides is most similar to C. intertexta, from which it is distinguished by its subscandent, trailing growth form, shortly sheathing and conspicuously denticulate stipules, fleshy coriaceous, adaxially pubescent leaves with obtuse apices, and ecology. C. elatirioides is further distinguished from C. brunnea, C. intertexta, and the other coprosma species of Sect. Acerosae by nrDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and external transcribed spacer (ETS) sequence differences.

Contributions to a chromosome atlas of the New Zealand flora ‐ 38. Counts for 50 families

“…propinqua, also finding 2n = 44. We provide a confirmatory count of 2n = 44 for the recently named (Markey & de Lange 2003) C. elatirioides, counted previously by Beuzenberg (1983) as C. sp. (f) aff.…”

Biological flora of New Zealand 10.Phormium tenax, harakeke, New Zealand flax

“…at south-eastern lake Taupo, P. tenax was a conspicuous element of Baumea rubiginosa reedland, but also present in introduced treeland dominated by Salix fragilis or Rubus fruticosus scrub, lining the levees along the channels of the Tongariro delta and other rivers. Shrub species characteristic of a less acidic and more eutrophic system, including three Coprosma species and Hebe paludosa, were dominant in a riverine back swamp in Westland (Markey & de lange 2003). Riverine delta back swamps adjacent to lake Te anau have extensive areas of P. tenax along with Carex secta and C. virgata, scattered shrubs such as Leptospermum scoparium and Coprosma propinqua, and isolated trees (Mark et al 1972).…”

Additional records of indigenous and naturalised plants with observations on the distribution ofGunnera tinctoria, on Stewart Island, New Zealand

“…Coprosma decurva Heads was described (Heads 1998) for plants that had previously been referred to as Coprosma sp. "little red fruit" (Wilson 1982), and C. elatirioides de Lange et A.Markey was described (Markey & de Lange 2003) for plants referred to as C. sp. aff.…”