▁flow ering ▁plant ▁in ▁the ▁family ▁Rub ia ceae . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁found ▁in ▁Australia , ▁New ▁Zealand ▁and ▁on ▁some ▁sub ant ar ctic ▁islands . ▁ ▁The ▁specific ▁ep ith et ▁comes ▁from ▁the ▁Latin ▁per ▁( very ) ▁and ▁p us ill us ▁( very ▁small ), ▁referring ▁to ▁the ▁growth ▁habit . ▁ ▁Tax onomy ▁When ▁the ▁Cop ros ma ▁p um ila ▁complex ▁was ▁re vised ▁by ▁Or ch ard ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁he ▁res ur rect ed ▁C . ▁per pus illa ▁Col enso ▁from ▁syn onym y ▁with ▁C . ▁p um ila , ▁recogn ising ▁two ▁sub species ▁– ▁the ▁nomin ate ▁for ▁the ▁plants ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand ▁and ▁Australia , ▁with ▁C . ▁per pus illa ▁s sp . ▁sub ant arct ica ▁ere cted ▁for ▁the ▁plants ▁on ▁the ▁sub ant ar ctic ▁islands . ▁ ▁Description ▁C ree ping ▁cop ros ma ▁is ▁a ▁pro str ate ▁sub sh r ub , ▁with ▁mat - form ing ▁st ems ▁ 3 0 0 – 4 0 0   mm ▁long , ▁gl ab r ous , ▁and ▁root ing ▁at ▁the ▁nodes . ▁ ▁The ▁small ▁lance olate ▁to ▁ov ate ▁leaves ▁are ▁ 4 . 5 – 7   mm ▁long ▁and ▁ 2 – 3 . 5   mm ▁wide , ▁crow ded ▁on ▁short ▁sho ots . ▁ ▁The ▁sess ile ▁flowers ▁occur ▁in ▁summer ▁on ▁ere ct ▁branch lets , ▁and ▁range ▁in