The mirror plant. A tree with leaves so shiny they appear polished. Taupata has leaves so shiny they appear polished. They are thick, glossy, and bright green, catching the light like a mirror. The leaves are oval and leathery, arranged opposite each other along the branches. They are the reason for the common name – mirror plant, shining in the sun. A tree that reflects the light. A tree of the coast. Taupata grows on exposed coastal cliffs, on sand dunes, on rocky shores. It is extremely hardy, tolerating salt spray, wind, and drought. The leaves are tough, the branches are flexible, the roots hold the sand. It is often the only tree on the cliff, the only green against the grey rock. A tree that grows where others cannot. The flowers are small and inconspicuous, followed by orange-red berries. The berries are eaten by birds, which spread the seeds along the coast. The tree is often planted as a hedge in coastal gardens because it thrives where other plants fail. A tree that makes a good fence. To see a taupata is to see a tree of the edge. It grows where the land meets the sea, where the spray flies and the wind howls. Its leaves shine in the sun, its branches bend in the gale. It has been here for millennia. It will be here as long as the coast remains. The name taupata means growing near the sea (tau = to settle, pata = sea spray). The tree is a symbol of the coast, of the places where the land ends and the ocean begins. The cliff is exposed. The wind blows. The taupata shines, leaves glossy and bright, branches bending but not breaking. The salt spray coats its leaves. The tree does not complain. It has been here for thousands of years. It will be here when the wind stops blowing. Which is never.