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The Toatoa (Haloragis erecta) belongs to the family Haloragaceae. It is a perennial herb that is endemic to New Zealand. It grows in coastal to montane forests and scrub, and grows to about 1 m tall. The stems are four-ribbed and reddish, erect and well branched. The leaves are lanceolate to elliptic or oblong, green, sharply serrated, and opposite. Small, inconspicuous red to yellow flowers bloom from December to February. The fruit is a winged capsule. The garden varieties with copper leaves have also been produced. The English name "Toatoa" is a Maori word used as a common name for a plant endemic to New Zealand.
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