Flora of New Zealand Totally Explained

Everything about Flora Of New Zealand totally explained

This page relates to the indigenous flora of New Zealand. New Zealand's geographical isolation has meant the country has developed a unique variety of native flora.

Characteristics of New Zealand flora

majority are evergreen
few annual herbs
few cold-tolerant trees
majority are dispersed by birds
very few have defences against mammalian browsers
few nitrogen fixing plants
few fire-adapted species
many dioecious species
flowers are typically small and white
many plants have divaricating growth forms
many plants have evolved into a larger forms compared with similar plant families in other countries.

List of plants

Trees and shrubs

Akeake

Bartlett's rātā or Cape Reinga white rātā

Beech (Nothofagus)

Bog pine

Broom

Cabbage tree or Tī rākau / Tī kōuka

Coprosma

Daisy bush

Dracophyllum

Five finger

Fuchsia or Kōtukutuku

Hebes

Horopito

Kahikatea or White Pine

Kaka Beak

Karaka

Karamū

Karo

Kauri

Kawakawa

Kanuka

Kapuka or Broadleaf

Kohekohe

Kohuhu

Kowhai

Kumaraho

Lacebark

Lancewood or Horoeka

Lemonwood or Tarata

Mahoe or Whiteywood

Maire

Manawa or White or Grey mangrove

Manuka or Tea Tree

Māpou or Red Matipo

Matagouri

Matai or Black Pine

Mingimingi

Miro

Manoao or Silver pine

Mountain totara

Neinei

Ngaio

Nikau

Northern rātā

Olearia

Ongaonga or Tree nettle

Patē or Seven Finger

Other Pittosporums

Pōhutukawa

Poroporo or Bullibulli

Puka

Putaputaweta

Rangiora or Bushman's friend

Rewarewa or New Zealand honeysuckle

Ribbonwood or Manatu

Rimu

Southern rātā

Tanekaha

Taraire

Tawa

Titoki

Toatoa

Toru

Totara

Tree daisy

Tetrapathaea tetrandra

Tutu

Yellow pine

Whau

Wineberry or Makomako

Ferns

While most of the world's ferns grow in tropical climates, New Zealand hosts an unusual number of ferns for a temperate country. These exhibit a variety of forms, from stereotypical feather-shaped tufted ferns and tree ferns to less typical filmy, leafy and climbing ferns. Both the koru, in the shape of an unfurling fern frond, and the silver fern are widely accepted symbols of New Zealand.

Silver fern or Ponga, Cyathea dealbata

New Zealand Tree Fern, Dicksonia squarrosa

Black Tree Fern or Mamaku, Cyathea medullaris

Tuokuro, Dicksonia lanata

Kuripaka, Dicksonia fibrosa

King fern, Marattia salicina

Prince of Wales fern, Leptopteris superba

Hound's tongue fern, Phymatosorus diversifolius

Kidney fern or Raurenga, Trichomanes reniforme

Hen and chickens fern, Asplenium bulbiferum

Hanging spleenwort, Asplenium flaccidum

Mangemange, Lygodium articulatum

Seaweeds

Neptune's necklace

Liverworts

New Zealand has a greater density of liverworts than any other country, due to its cool, wet and temperate climate. About half the species are endemic to New Zealand.
There are 606 species known in New Zealand. While these include some thallose liverworts, with liver-shaped leaves, most are leafy liverworts which can be confused with mosses and filmy ferns. Undescribed species, and those not previously recorded in New Zealand, continue to be found in lowland forests. Ninety species and varieties are listed on the 2001 Department of Conservation threatened plants list, and 157 liverwort species and varieties will be included on the next version of the list as a result of better knowledge of the group.
A three-volume work on liverworts in New Zealand is being written by John Engel and David Glenny, with the first volume due for release in late 2006. The volumes will also be placed online as part of Floraseries

Grasses

There are 187 species of native grasses in New Zealand: 157 endemic and 30 indigenous species.
The grasses belong to the following tribes and genera:

Ehrharteae

Microlaena, 4 species
Zotovia, 3 species

Stipeae

Achnatherum, 1 species
Anemanthele, 1 species
Austrostipa, 1 species

Poeae

Austrofestuca, 1 species
Festuca, 10 species
Poa, 38 species
Puccinellia, 4 species

Agrostideae">

Agrostis, 10 species
Amphibromus, 1 species
Deschampsia, 5 species
Deyeuxia, 5 species
Dichelachne, 4 species
Echinopogon, 1 species
Hierochloe, 7 species
Koeleria, 3 species
Lachnagrostis, 12 species
Trisetum, 9 species
Simplicia, 2 species

Hordeeae

Australopyrum, 1 species
Elymus, 7 species
Stenostachys, 3 species

Danthonieae

Chionochloa, 22 species
Cortaderia (Toetoe), 5 species
Pyrrhanthera, 1 species
Rytidosperma, 18 species

Chlorideae

Zoysia, 2 species

Leptureae

Lepturus, 1 species

Paniceae

Cenchrus, 1 species
Oplismenus, 1 species
Spinifex, 1 species

Isachneae

Isachne, 1 species

Andropogoneae

Imperata, 1 species

Mosses

There are 523 known moss species and 23 varieties in New Zealand, with 208 genera represented. 108 species and 11 genera are considered endemic. Most New Zealand mosses originated in Gondwana, so there are strong relationships with species in Tasmania, South-eastern Australia, and temperate parts of South America. The endemic genera are:

Beeveria

Bryobeckettia

Bryodixonia

Cladomnion

Crosbya

Cryptopodium

Dichelodontium

Fifea

Hypnobartlettia

Mesotus

Tetracoscinodon Sphagnum moss is also of economic importance.

Other

Bush lawyer

Celmisia (Mountain Daisy)

Megaherbs

Nine species of mistletoe, including Peraxilla colensoi, Peraxilla tetrapetala, Alepis flavida, and the extinct Trilepidea adamsii (last seen in 1954).

Mount Cook Lily

New Zealand flax

New Zealand spinach (Kokihi)

Nikau Palm

Pingao

Supplejack

Tecomanthe speciosa

Wood roseFurther Information

Get more info on 'Flora Of New Zealand'.

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