Click on images to enlarge
habit (Photo: Trevor James)
habit in fruit (Photo: Rob and Fiona Richardson)
younger stem and leaf bases (Photo: Trevor James)
leaves (Photo: Greg Jordan)
younger leaves (Photo: Trevor James)
clusters of immature fruit (Photo: Rob and Fiona Richardson)
close-up of immature fruit (Photo: Rob and Fiona Richardson)
seedling (Photo: Trevor James)
Scientific Name
Coprosma robusta Raoul
Family
Rubiaceae
Common Names
coprosma, karamu, large coprosma, mirror plant
Origin
Native to New Zealand.
Naturalised Distribution
Naturalised in south-eastern Australia (i.e. Tasmania and southern Victoria, and possibly also in New South Wales). In Tasmania it is currently restricted to the Hobart and Derwent Valley regions, while in Victoria in is mainly found in moist forests near Melbourne.
Notes
This species is regarded as an environmental weed in Victoria and Tasmania. It has invaded conservation areas in Victoria and is actively managed by community groups in this state.
For example, karamu (Coprosma robusta) has invaded the area where the single known Victorian colony of the dainty maidenhair fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris) is located, and it is thought to pose a direct threat to the survival of this threatened native species in this state. Because of its invasiveness in Victoria, karamu (Coprosma robusta) was recently declared a noxious weed in Tasmania.