New Zealand Distribution: North Island, South Island, Stewart Island, Chatham Islands, Campbell Island

Habitat: bank, cliff, coast, forest, forest edge, gorge, gravel, gully, hill, lake margin, lowland, margin, moist, open, pasture, riparian, roadside, rock outcrop, sand, shaded, shrubland, slope, stone, terrace, track, wasteland

Phenology: Flowering: Summer; Fruiting: Autumn.

Dispersal: Seed

Distribution from the Australasian Virtual Herbarium. CC-BY 3.0 AU
Distribution from the Australasian Virtual Herbarium. CC-BY 3.0 AU
 Recognition
  • a small long-lived shrub usually growing up to 1 m tall with slender, somewhat woody, slightly winged stems.
  • its green or reddish leaves are oppositely arranged, hairless, and either stalkless or stem-clasping.
  • its flowers (1.5-3 cm across) have five yellow petals and five greenish-coloured sepals that are almost the same size.
  • its fleshy berries (7-12 mm across) are initially green in colour but turn red and then purplish or blackish as they mature.

[From: Environmental Weeds of Australia]

 Images
Image: Trevor James © Trevor James
Image: Trevor James © Trevor James
Image: Trevor James © Trevor James
Image: Trevor James © Trevor James
Image: Trevor James © Trevor James
Image: Trevor James © Trevor James
Weeds Key – interactive key to the weed species of New Zealand
 References
Biosecurity New Zealand 2012: Regional Pest Management Strategies Database. http://www.biosecurityperformance.maf.govt.nz/
Biosecurity New Zealand 2008: National Plant Pest Accord. MAF Biosecurity New Zealand, Wellington.
Connor, H.E. 1977: The Poisonous Plants in New Zealand. Edition 2. Government Printer, Wellington.
Howell, C. 2008: Consolidated list of environmental weeds in New Zealand. DOC Research & Development Series 292: 42.
Ministry for Primary Industries 23 Feb 2017: Unwanted Organisms Register. Version 02.01.02. https://www1.maf.govt.nz/uor