Coprosma pumila
Hook.f.Prostrate subshrub forming mats to c. 1 m diam., dioecious; stems weakly woody, leafy parts mostly to c. 10 cm long, much-branched at distal ends, rooting at basal nodes. Leaves ovate or elliptic, mostly 3–4 mm long and 1–1.5 mm wide, slightly concave, acute to obtuse, margins flat, upper surface glossy green, with sparsely scattered, short erect hairs, lower surface paler, glabrous; petiole c. 0.5 mm long and fused to the one opposite; stipules each a minute triangular point midway along petiolar sheath, glabrous. Flowers sessile, unisexual solitary, terminal on short branchlets; calyx 1–1.5 mm long, lobes triangular; corolla narrowly campanulate, 3–5 mm long, lobes c. 1 mm long, glabrous or with very few, very short spreading hairs; style 2-branched. Drupes not seen. Flowers Jan.–Feb.
HSF, VAlp. Also Tas. New Zealand. Exceedingly rare in Victoria, confined to a small population of only female plants on the Snowy Plains north of Licola and first discovered in 1992.
In the apparent absence of male plants, or fruits on the female plants, the identification of this taxon is tentative only. It is possible that the species may be referable to C. atropurpurea (Cockayne & Allan) L.B. Moore, currently regarded as a New Zealand endemic, usually distinguished from C. pumila by the more persistent hairs on the leaves (as in the Victorian plants), and corolla-lobes with short scattered hairs (usually glabrous on the Victorian plants). Both species have c. ovoid to obovoid, claret-coloured to slaty-blue drupes, c. 8-12 mm long. The 2 species are regarded as conspecific by some authorities, the earlier-named C. pumila then having priority.
Jeanes, J.A. (1999). Rubiaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae, pp. 616–642. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
