''Coprosma acerosa'', commonly called sand coprosma, is a shrub that is native to

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

. It is a coastal plant found on the landward side of sand dunes. ''C. acerosa'' is a low, spreading shrub with yellow-brownish leaves, red bark and blue fruit. It is declining over large parts of its original range due to competition from

marram grass ''Ammophila'' (synonymous with ''Psamma'' P. Beauv.) is a genus of flowering plants consisting of two or three very similar species of grasses. The common names for these grasses include marram grass, bent grass, and beachgrass. These grasses ar ...

Description

Low-growing, with slender flexible, sprawling to prostrate, interlacing branches and branchlets, forming a ± cushionlike mass up to c. 2 m. diam., occ. up to 2m. tall. Branchlets ∞ with yellowish brown bark, pubescent when young. Lvs in opp. Pairs or fascicles, on yellowish petioles. Stipules rounded-obtuse to broadly triangular, ± pubescent, ciliolate. Lamina coriac., yellowish green, linear obtuse, 7-12 × 1-1·5- (2) mm. Midrib alone evident. Fls solitary, terminal on short branchlets. ♂ with calyx 0 or vestigial; corolla funnelform, lobes ovate-oblong, subacute, ± = tube. ♀ with acute, narrow-triangular calyx-teeth; corolla funnelform, lobes narrow-oblong, obtuse. Drupe translucent, very pale to pale blue, often with darker flecks, globose, c. 7 mm. diam.

References

acerosa Endemic flora of New Zealand Divaricating plants Taxa named by Allan Cunningham (botanist) {{Rubioideae-stub