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Coprosma virescens is a vascular, woody shrub species in the family Rubiaceae. It is an endemic plant to New Zealand and is considered 'At risk/ declining' by New Zealand's threat classification. Mikimiki is the Maori and common name for the plant, a name also shared by other closely related Coprosmaspecies. Mikimiki is a small-leaved shrub or tree which grows 2 to 3 m high. It has very slender, semi-divaricating branches. The small leaves are petiolate with petioles from 2mm to 5mm long. The leaves narrow suddenly at the petiole and may be up to 9mm long and 6mm wide with wavy margins or a few blunt teeth.

Coprosma virescens flowers between September to November, female flowers producing a small oblong fruit, white in colour and up to 6mm long. The fruit appears greenish when ripe because of the visible presence of the green seeds within. This feature gives rise to the specific name ‘virescens’ meaning becoming green.

It has a wide distribution, throughout the North and South Island ranging from coastal areas to lower montane forest and scrubland.

Description
Coprosma virescens is largely identified by its slender golden/coppery branches that are angled and interlaced to form a dense pyramidal mass. The shrub or small tree stands between 2-5m forming a smooth, knobbly, grey/green trunk as the shrub matures.

Leaves are small(5-9mm), hairless, light green with a dark red rim and are an obtuse oval shape that narrow abruptly to the distinctly long petiole. Leaves are simple, opposite and glabrous with obvious veins on the underside of the leaf. The stipules are short with small hairs and have three small black glands at the tip. Like most Coprosma species, C.virescens also forms domatia, small holes in the major veins produced by plants to accommodate mutualistic relationships.

The flowers of Coprosma virescens are very small and unisexual. Male flowers can be identified by the four corolla that are funnelled shape with lobes longer than the tube which surround four central stamens. These stamens are elongated and dangle from the flower to assist wind pollination. It is common that male flowers cluster in groups of one or two on short side branchlets. Female flowers will be found singularly at tips of branchlets, with erect stigma in order to receive male pollen. Corolla on female flowers are tubular rather than funnelled and can be identified by the four acute teeth shorter than the tube. Both male and female flowers are a light green, blending into the surrounding leaves; the female flowers can also have slightly more of a yellow tinge to their petals.

Once pollinated, female flowers produce small(4-6mm long), white, oblong fruit, tinged with the green colouring of inner seeds. The skin of the fruit often having blue/black dots which are a distinguishing feature of the plant .

Distribution
C.virescens is endemic to New Zealand and is found in both the North and South Island. It occurs naturally on the North Island's volcanic plateau, a plateau produced by historic lava spread that covers most of the central and east North Island. The plants most northern point of native distribution is west of Gisborne while the most southern point of distribution is as far south as Aparima River near Invercargill. South Island distribution includes drier regions such as Marlborough, Canterbury and Otago but is absent from wetter areas such as the South Island West Coast.

These locations provide the plant with the drier climate it favours as well as well-drained, moist and fertile soils. Mikimiki is a hardy plant that can also tolerate poor soils and moderate shade but preferred habitat ranges from coastal to montane lowland forests and shrub lands. In montane areas favoured locations are sunny dry bluffs, dry hills and ridges. Towards the coast and lower areas, river terraces and lowland terrace forests are favoured. Mikimiki is generally absent from higher rainfall areas, hence its lack of distribution west of the main divide.

Lifecycle
In New Zealand, Comprosma virescens flowers between September and November. Flowers are unisexual, meaning they are either male or female and are located on different shrubs/trees meaning the plant will lose some or most of its foliage, regrowing new foliage once old foliage has dropped.

Interactions
The Coprosma genus is well known for being a hardy species, tolerant of tough conditions and C. virescens is no exception. Coprosma virescens prefers sun and soils that are free draining but are exceptionally tolerant to poorly drained soils, dry conditions and high wind. C.virescens thrives in fertile alkaline soils which often lie upon igneous rich and calcareous rocks hence its large abundance in the central North Island on the volcanic plateau.

Native birds are attracted to the fruit produced by Mikimiki from summer to autumn, feeding on the available fruits as part of their diet. Throughout the year Mikimiki provides habitat to scale insects providing prey for birds while the plant is not fruiting.

Mikimiki can be a host to New Zealand thrips and is also vulnerable to rust which can become a problem to plant growth and survival.

Similar taxa
Coprosma virescens was first discovered and identified in 1847 by W.Colenso in Dunedin. Similar species of C. virescens are Coprosma rubra and Coprosma tenuicaulis. Coprosma rubra has very similar characteristics such as leaf size, leaf shape and plant form; young branches are also a red/ brown colour but has a smooth trunk unlike C. veriscens knobbly trunk. Coprosma tenuicaulis, a swamp species, is most commonly confused with C. virescens. Dark red branches are easily confused for the orange/gold branches of C. virescens. Leaves are small and obtuse and also share C. virescens red rim trait around the leave edge. Another identifiable difference being the pubescent Coprosma tenuicaulis leaves asC. veriscens are hairless. C. tenuicaulis fruits are dark red/black different to C. virescens white fruits.

Hybridisation
Coprosma species are well known to hybridise with some species becoming a parent species with more than 10 other Coprosma species. C. virescens is apart of a small group which have been identified to not be a hybrid parent.

Use
C. virescens is commonly used in landscaping and gardens due to its attractive colouring and unusual growth habitats; its dense growth making it very suitable for hedging in gardens and urban areas.

Interesting Facts
C. virescens and many other Coprosma species share the similar trait of twiggy, angled branches forming dense pyramidal masses. Leaves are commonly small and face inwards protected by the entanglement of branches. It is thought to be an adaptation of the species to protect the plant from harsh conditions and also thought to be a defence from the extinct Moa for which Coprosma foliage was a part of the bird's diet.