Decumbent, prostrate, to semi-erect, evergreen, dioecious shrub up to 0.60 m tall, with numerous, spreading, long-trailing branches up to 1(–2) m long and 15 mm diam.; these frequently rooting on contact with soil. Main stems 2–5(–8), either semi-erect or decumbent, if the latter then wide spreading; lateral branches decussate, numerous, stout, arising at angles of 45–90°, markedly recurved, rarely straight. Mature outer bark grey to dark silver-grey, variously streaked with fine, wavy black striations, at first smooth, becoming fissured and longitudinally cracked with age, persistent or shedding in small, irregular flakes; inner bark dark green when exposed. Juvenile shoots stout, at first 4-angled, becoming terete with age, initially dull yellow-green heavily streaked purple-black, maturing grey-brown to grey, finely fissured and/or longitudinally cracked; evenly covered in short, erect to antrorse, eglandular, white hairs. Brachyblasts numerous and very leafy, arising in tightly but evenly spaced pairs along stem, leafy, internodes 0.1– 0.2 mm, scarcely visible, being ± obscured by leaves and/or stipules. Leaves glabrous, opposite, densely clustered on short shoots; petioles 0.2–1 mm, stout, lamina 5–7(–10) × 1–3(–5) mm, markedly involute, oblanceolate to elliptic, fleshy-coriaceous to almost succulent, glabrous, margins entire, smooth, apex acute to subacute, base cuneate to attenuate, dark green to bronze-green, sometimes yellow-green; domatia absent; midrib and lateral veins not or hardly apparent on either surface. Stipules interpetiolar 0.3–1 mm long, shortly sheathing, chartaceous, glabrous except for distal portion which is densely ciliate; margin of apex entire or bifid; hairs of distal portion somewhat flexuous, at first pale yellow fading to white; associated glandular denticles 2–6, minute, evenly spaced, black, deciduous. Flowers axillary, located in axils of uppermost leaves of previous season’s growth flush, solitary or paired. Male flowers larger than female flowers. Pedicels 0.15– 0.2 mm long, sparsely hairy, maroon, spotted yellow-green, each with a basal, tubular, connate bracteole; bracteoles c. 0.5–0.6 mm long, lobes obovate-oblong, dark green, glabrous. Calyx reduced, pale green, often with pale gland between lobes; lobes 4, obovate-oblong, basal portion green fading to pale green in distal third; margins ± glabrous, rarely eglandular ciliate near the apex. Corolla 5–6 mm long; tube 1–1.5 mm long, funnelform; basal portion green, remainder greenyellow, with margins usually pigmented dark-red to purple; lobes 4, opening to 3⁄4 of the length of tube, broadly lanceolate to ovate-acute, 3.5–4 × 1.5–2 mm, recurved, minutely papillose at apex and on inside. Stamens 4. Filaments 5–6 mm long, pale green or green-yellow, finely papillate. Anthers 2.5–3 × 1–1.5 mm, ovate, elliptic to ± rhomboid, dorsifixed, 2-locular, papillose at apex; pollen yellow. Female flowers with pedicels similar to male flowers. Calyx much reduced, 4-lobed, adnate to ovary. Corolla tube 2–2.5 mm long, narrowly, funnelform, green-yellow with margins pale pink, vinous or purple in distal portion; corolla lobes 4, opening to 3⁄4 of the length of tube, lanceolate-ovate 0.5 × 0.25 mm, recurved, minutely papillose-pubescent at apex and on inside. Ovary ovoid, 2-locular, green. Style branches 2, 6–9 mm long, terete, at first straight then recurving slightly in upper third, twisting markedly on drying, papillose-pubescent; stigmatic hairs 0.1 mm long, pale green to yellow. Drupes globose to subglobose; 4–5(–6) × 3–5(–6) mm when fresh, drying subglobose or ellipsoid; calyx lobes dark-green or black, persistent, arising centrally as a prominent 0.5–1 mm stub; epidermis usually bright orange, occasionally red or yellow, flesh orange. Pyrenes (1–)2, unequal, when two then the larger (2.5)–3–(4.5) × (1.8–)2.0(–2.8) mm, ovate-elliptic to oblong-elliptic; plano-convex, roughened on the inner face; operculum usually indistinct, c. 1⁄3 of pyrene length. FL Dec–Mar; FR Dec–May.

A Coprosma pseudocuneata Garn.- Jones et Elder quae silvas et locos frutectosos incolit, differt habitu minore decumbenti longiserpenti, ramis lateralibus numerosis crassis recurvatis, brachyblastis numerosis brevibus crassis perfoliosis, foliis involutes coriaceis atrovirentibus vel aereovirentibus, stipulis breviter vaginantibus conspicue denticulatis, numero chromosomatum tetraploideo; et praeoptat incolere locos alpinos saxosos vel apertos petrososque etiam scritharum margines.