Coprosma autumnalis

Coprosma autumnalis, commonly known as kanono or raurekau, is an evergreen shrub or small tree in the family Rubiaceae endemic to New Zealand. It grows in lowland and lower montane forest understory throughout the North Island and the northern half of the South Island, typically reaching 3 to 6 meters in height with a slender trunk and slightly tiered horizontal branching. The opposite leaves are unusually large for the genus, broadly elliptic to oblong, 10 to 25 centimeters long, thin-textured, dark green and glossy above with a pale midrib and prominent venation. Tiny inconspicuous greenish-white flowers are borne in compact clusters at the leaf axils in autumn, the species being dioecious with separate male and female plants. Female plants ripen small fleshy orange-red drupes about 6 to 9 millimeters across in dense clusters that are an important food source for native birds. The fragrant inner bark was traditionally an important source of yellow dye.