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Cyathodes fasciculata syn. Leucopogon fasciculata  Mingimingi

Fruit

adult leaves and flowers

Juvenile leaves

The adult leaves of mingimingi are 1-2.5 cm linear-oblong and arranged in fascicles or whorls. The juvenile form may display larger leaves to 4cm. Mingimimgi is an open branched shrub reaching 5m.
North Cape to Canterbury

This common plant of scrublands and beech forests can be mistaken for manuka or kanuka. It has a distinctive adult and juvenile form which can add to the difficulty in identification. The younger leaves are larger than the adults. As an adult it can grow to 5m. and produces small green flowers in spring. The berries are red and oval to about 0.8 mm long.

To germinate the seeds, wash the seeds from the berries. There will be one seed per berry. Sow straight away. It may take 3 or 4 months before germination occurs.

Cyathodes juniperina  Prickly mingimingi

Similar to C.fasciculata, however, it has pungent leaves that are prickly to touch.  The single drupes which may be coloured red, pink or white. There is no juvenile form.

The leaves are 6-16mm long, needle like, with a pungent tip. This shrub can reach 5 metres. The single flowers can be 2-3mm long. Prickly minimingi can be found throughout New Zealand in forest and scrub.

I recommend the following books for aiding in NZ native plant identification