Coprosma acutifolia, is a shrub that is native to New Zealand, found only on Raoul Island. C. acutifolia can grow up to 12 metres tall in wet or dry forest, becoming a sub-canopy tree at lower altitudes and a canopy species along ridgelines.[1]
Tree up to c. 10 m. tall; branches ascending; branchlets slender, glab. Lvs on slender petioles 5–7 mm. long. Stipules membr., sheathing, sub-acute; denticle prominent. Lamina membr., glab., ovate to ovate-elliptic to lanceolate, acuminate, tapering to petiole; ± 60-(75) × 20- (35) mm.; margins ± waved. Reticulated veins fine, evident. ♂ 3–9 on slender axillary branched peduncles 10–15 mm. long; calyx cupular, teeth 4–5, acute; corolla subfunnelform, lobes 5, acute, ± = tube; stamens us. 5. ♀ 3 in a cluster on branched axillary peduncles; calyx cupular, teeth triangular, us. 5; corolla tubular, lobes linear-triangular, < tube. Drupe orange-red, oblong, 7–8 mm. long.[2]
The genus name, Coprosma derives from the Greek kopros ("dung") and osme ("smell"), and describes the genus' foul smell, while the specific epithet, acutifolia, derives from Latin, and means "sharp-leaved".[1]