Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Coprosma spathulata subsp. hikuruana de Lange & Heenan, New Zealand J. Bot. 39: 218 (2001)
Etymology:
The epithet hikuruana is derived from Hikurua, the Maori Ngati Kuri name for the two points of land (Cape Maria Van Diemen and North Cape) at the northernmost tip of the North Island of New Zealand.
 Description

Prostrate, evergreen, dioecious trailing shrub, with numerous spreading, long-trailing branches up to 10 m long and 10 mm diameter; these sometimes rooting at leaf nodes. Main stem usually solitary, sometimes two or more, prostrate; branches sparse to numerous, these arising at angles of 35- 45°; mature outer bark grey-brown to grey, sometimes mottled black, at first smooth, becoming deeply fissured and longitudinally cracked with age, persistent or shedding in small, irregular flakes; inner bark when exposed dark green. Juvenile shoots, slender, at first 4-angled, becoming terete with age, initially red-brown, later grey-brown to grey, finely fissured and/or longitudinally cracked; hairs short, eglandular, white, erect to antrorse bifarious. Leaves opposite, spathulate; seedling leaves of cultivated plants at first 2-4 × 4.5-6 mm, becoming larger with age; petioles 3-5 mm long, stout, winged; lamina rhomboid or deltoid, dark red-brown, often white mottled, or unifomly vinose above, paler beneath, apex acute often with sparse, minute, eglandular hairs, and/or apiculate, veins distinct, areolate. Adult leaves often clustered distally on short shoots, leaf internodes 0.2-0.3 mm (these usually obscured by stipules); petioles up to 23 mm long, stout, tapered toward base, winged; lamina 6-15 × 8-15 mm, flat, spreading, orbicular to broad oblong, coriaceous, ± glabrous, apex retuse to emarginate, occasionally obcordate, usually with a minute tuft of white hairs and apiculus; domatia 2-6 but often absent, 0.1-0.3 mm diameter, margins and interior cavity glabrous, often inhabited by small mites, usually forming deep, prominent swellings on the adaxial surface; lamina on exposed branches areolate, dull red-brown mottled dark green, yellow, or white with darker veins; lamina on shaded branches thinner textured, dark yellow-green, 13-27 × 16-27 mm. Internode stipules below apex of short shoots, 0.8-0.9 mm long, narrowly triangular, finely pubescent, with a single, dark central denticle, sheath 1/3 to ½ length of stipule, finely pubescent, marginal fringe chartaceous, dark greenish purple, finely ciliate. Plants unisexual; flowers apparently always axillary, located in axils of uppermost leaves of previous growth flush, solitary or paired. Male flowers larger and more numerous than female flowers. Pedicels 1.0-1.25 mm long, glabrous, dark violet to black-violet, each with a basal tubular connate bracteole; bracteoles c. 2 mm long, lobes linear, green, spotted purple, with white ciliate margins. Calyx reduced, dark violet to black-violet, often with a pale gland between the calyx lobes; lobes 4, lanceolate, basal portion dark purple, upper portion pale greenish-yellow, purple spotted, margins eglandular ciliate. Corolla 5-6 mm long; tube 1.5-2 mm long, elliptic, basal portion maroon, upper dark green streaked maroon; lobes 3-4, opening to half length of tube, lanceolate to ovate-acute, 3.5-4 × 1.4 mm, recurved, minutely papillose at apex and on inside. Filaments 6-9 mm long, cream, papillate. Anthers 2-4 , 2.4-3.5 × 0.8- 1.25 mm, oblong, dorsifixed, 2- locular, papillose at apex; pollen creamy yellow. Female flowers with pedicels similar to male flowers. Calyx much reduced, 4-lobed, adnate to ovary. Corolla tube 2.5-3 mm long obovoid, green-yellow, striped maroon in distil portion; corolla lobes 2-4 , opening to half length of tube, linear-lanceolate 2.5 × 0.6 mm, recurved, minutely papillose at apex and on the inside. Ovary ovoid, green, 2-locular. Stigmas 2, up to 6-7.5 mm long, terete, often twisted, papillose-pubescent; stigmatic hairs 0.1 mm long, white. Drupe narrowly ellipsoid topped by a persistent calyx, 5-9 × 2-4.5 mm, dull violet-black, mesocarp violet. Pyrenes (1-)2, unequal, when two, then the larger 7-7.5 × 2-3.5 mm, narrowly ovoid to ellipsoid, plano-convex, roughened on the inner face, operculum distinct, occupying c. ½ of pyrene surface. FL Jul-Oct; FR Jan.

[Reproduced from de Lange & Heenan (2001, New Zealand J. Bot. 39: 217-223) with permission from The Royal Society of New Zealand.]

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Bibliography
de Lange, P.J.; Heenan, P.B. 2001a: A new Coprosma (Rubiaceae) from the Surville Cliffs, North Cape, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 39(2): 217–223.
de Lange, P.J.; Heenan, P.B. 2001b: A new Coprosma (Rubiaceae) from the Surville Cliffs, North Cape, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 39(2): 217–223.
de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Hitchmough, R.; Townsend, A.J. 2009: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand (2008 revision). New Zealand Journal of Botany 47: 61–96. [Naturally uncommon]
de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Heenan, P.B.; Courtney, S.P.; Molloy, B.P.J.; Ogle, C.C.; Rance, B.D. 2004: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 42(1): 45–76.
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Naturally Uncommon]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [Naturally Uncommon]