Coprosma lanceolaris is a flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae. The specific epithet comes from the Latin lancea (âÂÂlanceâ or âÂÂspearâÂÂ) with the suffix -aris (âÂÂpertaining toâÂÂ), alluding to the shape of the leaves.
It is a shrub growing to 2 m in height. The fleshy, bright green, broadly lanceolate or lanceolate to elliptic leaves are 30âÂÂ90 mm long, 15âÂÂ40 mm wide, with a foetid odour when crushed. The flowers are small and green, 5 mm long. The egg-shaped red fruits are 6âÂÂ8 mm long. The flowering season is from mid May to mid October.
The species is endemic to AustraliaâÂÂs subtropical Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea. It is common in the montane forest of the island, at elevations of over 500 m.