[1][2][3] Myrsine australis is a small shrub or tree, growing from 3–6 metres tall with short upright branches that create a compact crown.

[1] These leaf stalks, also called petioles, can vary in colour and size as a result of environmental conditions and local population trends.

[1][2][3] It would have once been common throughout all of lowland New Zealand, which was largely composed of podocarp/broadleaf species, however with clearance for purposes such as timber milling and agriculture, the amount remaining is vastly smaller than what it was.

[1] Red matipo’s fruits are drupes; a single seed is encased in a hard core, which is then covered in a fleshy outer layer.

[11] Red matipo is a fast growing, early colonizing species, yet can also survive within dense forest understorey, and so it is therefore tolerant of varying environmental conditions, such as light.

With the introduction of wild grazing mammals such as deer and goats to New Zealands native forests, there has been a widespread loss in the abundance and diversity of its understory flora, red matipo just one example of a large array of species.

[18] Avian fauna consume the fruit of red matipo, particularly native birds such as the New Zealand bellbird and tūī, but also introduced species such as the common blackbird.

[1] Both Maori and early Europeans utilised red matipo for its medicinal value, as its leaves, when boiled in water, provide a cure to toothache.

[1] Many of the other Myrsine species are still today utilized for medicinal purposes, a particularly interesting example of this being M.africana, as it contains a substance called saponin which provides benefit to cancer patients.

[1] Europeans also used red matipo wood for cabinet making when the milling of native forest was standard practice, however today, due to its hardy nature and appealing looks, it is more commonly used as a hedge plant.