Habitat: bank, clay, cliff, coast, dry, forest, forest edge, gorge, gully, hill, loam, lowland, margin, moist, open, pasture, ridge, riparian, roadside, rock outcrop, sand, shaded, sheltered, shrubland, silt, slope, stone, terrace, track, wasteland, wetland

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 spiny, evergreen or semi-deciduous shrub up to 7 m high.
  • its leaves are green, up to 7.5 cm long and 2.5 cm wide, and sometimes spiny toothed.
  • its drooping simple or branched racemes are many-flowered.
  • its flowers are yellow, foetid, and 4-7 mm long.
  • its fruit are a berry 7-12 mm long, reddish-black and with whitish bloom, and with dark red juice.
 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/
Howell, C. 2008: Consolidated list of environmental weeds in New Zealand. DOC Research & Development Series 292: 42.