This article relates to the flora of New Zealand, especially indigenous (ecology), indigenous strains. New Zealand's Geography of New Zealand, geographical isolation has meant the country has developed a unique Biodiversity of New Zealand, variety of native flora. However, History of New Zealand, human migration has led to the importation of many other plants (generally referred to as 'exotics' in New Zealand) as well as widespread damage to the indigenous flora, especially after the advent of European colonisation, due to the combined efforts of farmers and specialised societies dedicated to importing European plants & animals.

Characteristics

Indigenous New Zealand flora generally has the following characteristics: * the majority are evergreen. * few annual herbs. * few cold-tolerant trees. * majority are dispersed by birds. * very few have defences against mammalian browsers. * few Nitrogen fixation, nitrogen fixing plants. * few fire-adapted species. * many dioecious species. * flowers are typically small and white. * many plants have divaricate, divaricating growth forms. * many plants have evolved into larger forms compared with similar plant families in other countries.

List of plants

Trees and shrubs

* Akeake * Metrosideros bartlettii, Bartlett's rātā or Cape Reinga white rātā * Nothofagus, Beech (''Nothofagus'') * Halocarpus bidwillii, Bog pine * New Zealand Broom, Broom * Cabbage tree (Cordyline australis), Cabbage tree or Tī rākau / Tī kōuka * Coprosma * Brachyglottis greyi, Daisy bush * Dracophyllum * Pseudopanax arboreus, Five finger * Fuchsia excorticata, Fuchsia or Kōtukutuku * Hebe (plant), Hebes * Pseudowintera, Horopito * Kahikatea or White Pine * Kaka Beak * Kunzea ericoides, Kanuka * Griselinia littoralis, Kapuka or Broadleaf * Karaka (tree), Karaka * Coprosma robusta, Karamū * Pittosporum crassifolium, Karo * Kauri * Macropiper excelsum, Kawakawa * Kohekohe * Pittosporum tenuifolium, Kohuhu * Kōwhai * Kumaraho * Hoheria, Lacebark * Pseudopanax crassifolius, Lancewood or Horoeka * Pittosporum eugenioides, Lemonwood or Tarata * Melicytus ramiflorus, Mahoe or Whiteywood * Coastal maire, Maire * Avicennia marina, Manawa or White or Grey mangrove * Leptospermum scoparium, Mānuka or Tea Tree * Myrsine australis, Māpou or Red Matipo * Matagouri * Prumnopitys taxifolia, Mataī or Black Pine * Mingimingi * Prumnopitys ferruginea, Miro * Manoao or Silver pine * Podocarpus cunninghamii, Mountain tōtara * Dracophyllum, Neinei * Myoporum laetum, Ngaio * Nikau * Metrosideros robusta, Northern rātā * Olearia * Urtica ferox, Ongaonga or Tree nettle * Schefflera digitata, Patē or Seven Finger * Other Pittosporums * Pōhutukawa * Solanum aviculare, Poroporo or Bullibulli * Meryta sinclairii, Puka * Putaputaweta or marbleleaf * Brachyglottis repanda, Rangiora or Bushman's friend * Knightia excelsa, Rewarewa or New Zealand honeysuckle * Plagianthus regius, Ribbonwood or Manatu * Dacrydium cupressinum, Rimu or Red Pine * Metrosideros umbellata, Southern rātā * Tanekaha * Taraire * Beilschmiedia tawa, Tawa * Alectryon excelsus, Titoki * Phyllocladus toatoa, Toatoa * Toronia toru, Toru * Tōtara * Tetrapathaea tetrandra * Tutu (plant), Tutu * Halocarpus biformis, Yellow pine * Whau * Aristotelia serrata, 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. New Zealand has ten species of tree ferns, but there are numerous ground, climbing and perching smaller ferns to be found throughout the countries forests, the largest of which is the Ptisana salicina, king fern. * Silver fern or ponga, ''Cyathea dealbata'' * New Zealand tree fern, ''Dicksonia squarrosa'' * Black tree fern or mamaku, ''Cyathea medullaris'' * Dicksonia lanata, Tuokura, ''Dicksonia lanata'' * Dicksonia fibrosa, Kuripaka, ''Dicksonia fibrosa'' * Mountain tree fern, ''Cyathea colensoi'' * Gully tree fern, ''Cyathea cunninghamii'' * Soft tree fern, ''Cyathea smithii'' * Ptisana salicina, King fern, ''Ptisana salicina'' * Leptopteris superba, Prince of Wales fern, ''Leptopteris superba'' * Microsorum pustulatum, Hound's tongue fern, ''Microsorum pustulatum'' * Kidney fern or raurenga, ''Trichomanes reniforme'' * Hen and chickens fern, ''Asplenium bulbiferum'' * Hanging spleenwort, ''Asplenium flaccidum'' * Lygodium articulatum, Mangemange, ''Lygodium articulatum''

Seaweeds

* Neptune's necklace

Liverworts

New Zealand has a greater density of Marchantiophyta, liverworts than any other country, due to its cool, wet and temperate climate. About half the species are endemic (ecology), endemic to New Zealand. There are 606 species known in New Zealand. While these include some thallose liverworts, with liver-shaped thalli, 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 New Zealand Department of Conservation, Department of Conservation threatened species, 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 published in 2008. The first volume will also be placed online in June 2009 as part o
Floraseries
David Glenny, ''New Zealand's liverworts, no longer a forgotten group'', ''Te Taiao'', Number 6, July 2006, ISSN 1176-2454

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 (grass), Simplicia'', 2 species * Hordeeae ** ''Australopyrum'', 1 species ** ''Elymus (plant), 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 (coastal grass), 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 (plant), 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, Nikau Palm * Pingao * Typha orientalis, Raupō or bulrush * Rhipogonum scandens, Supplejack * ''Tecomanthe speciosa'' * Wood rose (New Zealand), Wood rose

References

External links

* * http://www.nzflora.info/index.html - Flora of New Zealand * *
Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture
'. Lincoln University (New Zealand), Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand.
New Zealand Plant Names Database

Bushmansfriend:NZ native plant information

New Zealand Plant Conservation Network
* http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/resources/identification/plants/grass-key (a Lucid key to naturalised and indigenous grasses of New Zealand)

University of Auckland {{DEFAULTSORT:Flora Of New Zealand Flora of New Zealand,