About Coprosma hirtella Labill.
Coprosma hirtella, commonly known as coffee-berry, is a shrub belonging to the Rubiaceae family. This species is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It typically grows to around 2 metres in height, with leaves ranging from 15 to 50 mm long and 10 to 25 mm wide. Individual plants bear separate male and female flower clusters, which emerge between August and April. Flowering is followed by the development of orange to reddish fruits that measure 7 to 8 mm in diameter. The species was formally described in 1805 by French botanist Jacques Labillardière, based on plant specimens collected in Tasmania. It is a common component of moist montane forests in New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania. The 1889 publication The Useful Native Plants of Australia records that this species' fruit is sweet and edible, but not considered agreeable. It also notes that the fruits of other Coprosma species may be eaten as well.
