New Zealand Journal of Botany abstracts
A new species of Coprosma Sect. Acerosae (Rubiaceae) endemic to
the South and Stewart Islands of New Zealand
A. S. Markey
Department of Botany
University of Otago
P.O. Box 56
Dunedin, New Zealand
P. J. de Lange*
Science & Research Unit
Department of Conservation
Private Bag 68908
Newton, Auckland, New Zealand
Email: pdelange@doc.govt.nz
*Author for correspondence.
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.
Keywords Rubiaceae; Coprosma; Sect. Acerosae;
C. elatirioides; C. intertexta; C. acerosa; C. brunnea;
C. rugosa; C. petriei; C. nivalis; new species; taxonomy;
nrDNA, ITS, ETS sequences; conservation; ecology; New Zealand flora
B02087 Received 23 December 2002; accepted 24 April 2003; online publication
date 11 September 2003
New Zealand Journal of Botany, 2003, Vol. 41: 459-473
0028-825X/03/4103-0459 $7.00 © The Royal Society of New Zealand
2003
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