Discaria toumatou*, commonly known as matagouri, tūmatakuru, or wild Irishman, is a spiny, deciduous shrub or small tree endemic to New Zealand. It typically reaches up to 5 meters in height 3 meters wide, featuring tangle-branched, divaricating structures with long, sharp spines up to 5 centimetres in length. The small, oval, dark green leaves are interspersed along the zig-zagging branches, and the rough grey bark is characteristically broken into square patterns. in spring to early summer (October–December), it produces small, white, inconspicuous flowers, followed by dry, three-sided capsules. Discaria toumatou* is frost-hardy and thrives in well-drained soils with low to moderate moisture, commonly inhabiting grasslands, stony areas, and riverbeds, primarily east of the Southern Alps in the South Island and in select coastal regions of the North Island. Due to its dense, thorny growth, it is occasionally utilized as a natural barrier or hedge in landscaping. Additionally, this species has the unique ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, enriching the soil and benefiting surrounding plant life.