Coprosma acutifolia, is a shrub that is native to New Zealand, found only on Raoul Island. First described in 1856, it can grow in wet or dry forest, becoming a sub-canopy tree at lower altitudes and a canopy species along ridgelines.
Description It is a small, bushy tree reaching in height. The branches are slender, hairless and grow in an ascending pattern. Bark is greenish-grey, maturing to grey and flaking in small, rectangular, thin shards. Leaves are narrow and tapering usually 60–90 mm in length; they are typically yellow-green and frequently mottled with dark green. The flowers are sexually dimorphic, with male and female flowers appearing on separate plants.
Etymology The genus name, Coprosma derives from the Greek kopros ("dung") and osme ("smell"), and describes the genus' foul smell, while the specific epithet, acutifolia, derives from Latin, and means "sharp-leaved".
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