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Flora Of New Zealand
This article relates to the flora of New Zealand, especially indigenous strains. New Zealand's geographical isolation has meant the country has developed a unique variety of native flora. However, 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 fixing plants. * few fire-adapted species. * many dioecious species. * flowers are typically small and white. * many plants have divaricating growth forms. * many plants have evolv ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cyathea Medullaris
''Sphaeropteris medullaris'', synonym ''Cyathea medullaris'', commonly known as mamaku or black tree fern, is a large tree fern up to tall. It is distributed across the south-west Pacific from Fiji to Pitcairn Island and is a common plant found in forests of New Zealand. Description The trunk is black and covered with distinctive hexagonal stipe bases. The fronds may be up to long, and arch upwards from the crown. Dead fronds are shed except in very young plants. The primary pinnae are from to long, and the undersides have scales with spines along their margins. As many as 40,000 leaflets have been counted on a single frond. The stipes are thick, black, very rough to the touch, and are similarly covered in black scales with marginal spines. ''Sphaeropteris medullaris'' can be readily distinguished from related species by the hexagonal stipe scars on the trunk, and by the scales with spines on their margins. Fully grown trees can reach a height of , making the species th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brachyglottis Greyi
''Brachyglottis greyi'', commonly known as daisy bush, is a member of the large family Asteraceae and belongs to the genus '' Brachyglottis'' or the genus ''Senecio'' depending on which authority is being followed. It is an endemic native of New Zealand and lately getting positive attention from gardeners. __TOC__ Description Often seen in gardens and suitable for warm and maritime districts and tolerant of hot sun, poor soils, wind and coastal exposure, the New Zealand native broadleaf evergreen shrub ''Brachyglottis greyi'' can be found sprawled in the hot sun, poor soils and coastal breezes; maturing into mounds to tall and wide. ''B. greyi'' has somewhat curving stems, covered in white down. Leaves are alternate, simple, oblong to ovate-oblong, to long and to wide with wavy margins. Green above, white down underneath, giving silver-grey appearance. ''B. greyi'' forms panicles of bright yellow daisy flowers in abundance. In horticulture A group of hybrids, from Ne ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kauri
''Agathis'', commonly known as kauri or dammara, is a genus of evergreen coniferous trees, native to Australasia and Southeast Asia. It is one of three extant genera in the family Araucariaceae, alongside '' Wollemia'' and ''Araucaria'' (being more closely related to the former).de Laubenfels, David J. 1988. Coniferales. P. 337–453 in Flora Malesiana, Series I, Volume 10. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic. Its leaves are much broader than most conifers. Kauri gum is commercially harvested from New Zealand kauri. Description Mature kauri trees have characteristically large trunks, with little or no branching below the crown. In contrast, young trees are normally conical in shape, forming a more rounded or irregularly shaped crown as they achieve maturity.Whitmore, T.C. 1977. ''A first look at Agathis''. Tropical Forestry Papers No. 11. University of Oxford Commonwealth Forestry Institute. The bark is smooth and light grey to grey-brown, usually peeling into irregular flakes t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pittosporum Crassifolium
''Pittosporum crassifolium'', karo, stiffleaf cheesewood, kaikaro or kihiki is a relatively fast-growing large shrub or small tree with an erect, fastigiate growth habit. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is self-supporting with a simple form that can grow up to 10m tall. ''Pittosporum crassifolium'' is part of the wider Pittosporaceae family, which has over 160 species in the southern hemisphere. Description The leaves on this species are approximately 5-10x2-3cm and are oval shaped, dark green and leathery with grey tomentum (fine hairs) on the undersides of the leaves including the petioles and inflorescences. This tomentum provides protection against coastal winds by preventing salt damage and moisture loss.The leaves are simple and are alternately arranged and are very dense at the furthest point away from the stem. The leaf margins are recurved, thick and leathery (hence the name ''crassifolium'' which translates from Latin to "thick leaf") and they often s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coprosma Robusta
''Coprosma robusta'', commonly known as karamū, is a flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae that is endemic to New Zealand. It can survive in many climates, but is most commonly found in coastal areas, lowland forests, or shrublands. Karamū can grow to be around tall, and grow leaves up to long. Karamū is used for a variety of purposes in human culture. The fruit that karamū produces can be eaten, and the shoots of karamū are sometimes used for medical purposes. Identification Species description Karamū is a large bushy shrub that grows up to tall. Branches are stout with no hair. Domatia (small holes on the back of the leaf at the intersection of veins) and stipules are significant characteristic features of Coprosmas. Karamū stipules are black, hairless and obtuse with slightly serrated margin that are united at the base Leaves The glossy leaves of karamū range from long, with elliptic-oblong shape and acute or obtuse leaf apex and with obvious veins. Leaves ar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Karaka (tree)
''Corynocarpus laevigatus'', commonly known as karaka or the New Zealand laurel, is a medium-sized evergreen tree in the family Corynocarpaceae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is common throughout the North Island and less common in the South Island. ''C. laevigatus'' individuals are also found on the Chatham Islands, Kermadec Islands, and the Three Kings Islands. ''C. laevigatus'' is mostly a coastal tree, although in the North Island, it is also found inland. ''Corynocarpus laevigatus'' was first described in 1776 by the German naturalists Georg and Johann Reinhold Forster. ''C. laevigatus'' grows to heights of up to and has a stout trunk of up to in diameter. Its leaves are leathery, dark to bright green in colour and up to long. From August to November, ''C. laevigatus'' produces large oval-shaped orange-coloured fruits, about in length. ''C. laevigatus'' seeds are highly toxic to humans and contain poisonous toxins and other glucosides of 3-nitropropionic acid ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Griselinia Littoralis
''Griselinia littoralis'', commonly known as kapuka, New Zealand broadleaf or pāpāuma, is a fast-growing small to medium-sized evergreen tree that is native to New Zealand. Description ''Griselinia littoralis'' is a hardy evergreen shrub that grows up to about 10 metres tall. ''Griselinia littoralis'' is round in shape and has dense foliage. The leaves are alternate, leathery, glossy yellow-green above, paler and matte below, long, oval with a smooth margin. This tree also has flowers and berries that grow in particular seasons annually. In general, this tree can grow up to 10 m or longer to 15 m tall. It has rough and short branches which can stretch to 150 cm in diameter. The shape of apical leaf is broad-ovate to ovate-oblong or rounded with smooth margin. The yellow-green leaf is thick and its width can be 5–12 cm long by 4–5 cm wide, the leaf often be glossy and grow as alternative type, one side can be a little longer than the other side at base so ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kunzea Ericoides
''Kunzea ericoides'', commonly known as kānuka or white tea-tree, is a tree or shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to New Zealand. It has white or pink flowers similar to those of ''Leptospermum'' and from its first formal description in 1832 until 1983 was known as ''Leptospermum ericoides''. The flowers have five petals and up to 25 stamens which are mostly longer than the petals. Description ''Kunzea ericoides'' is a spreading shrub or tree, sometimes growing to a height of with bark which peels in long strips and young branches which tend to droop. The leaves are variable in shape from linear to narrow elliptic or lance-shaped, long and wide with a petiole up to long. The flowers are white or pale pink, crowded on side branches or in the axils of upper leaves. The floral cup is covered with soft, downy hairs and is on a pedicel long. There are five triangular sepals about long and five petals about long. There are up to 25 stamens which are , mostl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kaka Beak
''Clianthus'', commonly known as kaka beak (''kōwhai ngutukākā'' in Māori), is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae, comprising two species of shrubs endemic to the North Island of New Zealand. They have striking clusters of red flowers which resemble the beak of the kākā, a New Zealand parrot. The plants are also known as parrot's beak, parrot's bill and lobster claw – all references to the distinctive flowers. There is also a variety with white to creamy coloured flowers called: "Albus", and a variety with rosy pink flowers called: "Roseus". Description and taxonomy Kakabeak grows to around two metres high, with spreading branches producing leaf stalks up to 15 cm long bearing several pairs of small leaflets. They usually flower from spring through to early summer, but can flower twice a year or even year round. Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander collected specimens of ''Clianthus'' in 1769 and ''C. puniceus'' was described in 1835. William Col ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kahikatea
''Dacrycarpus dacrydioides'', commonly known as kahikatea (from Māori language, Māori) and white pine, is a Pinophyta, coniferous tree endemism, endemic to New Zealand. A Podocarpaceae, podocarp, it is New Zealand's tallest tree, gaining heights of over a life span of 600 years. It was first described botanically by the French botanist Achille Richard in 1832 as ''Podocarpus'' ''dacrydioides'', and was given its current binomial name ''Dacrycarpus dacrydioides'' in 1969 by the American botanist David John de Laubenfels, David de Laubenfels. Analysis of DNA has confirmed its evolutionary relationship with other species in the genera ''Dacrycarpus'' and ''Dacrydium''. In Māori culture, it is an important source of timber for the building of Waka (canoe), waka and making of tools, of food in the form of its berries, and of dye. Its use for timber and its damp fertile habitat, ideal for Dairy farming in New Zealand, dairy farming, have led to its decimation almost everywhere ex ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pseudowintera
''Pseudowintera'', commonly known as horopito, is a genus of woody evergreen flowering trees and shrubs, part of family Winteraceae. The species of ''Pseudowintera'' are native to New Zealand. Winteraceae are magnoliids, associated with the humid Antarctic flora of the southern hemisphere. Horopito can be chewed for a hot, peppery taste. Species *'' Pseudowintera axillaris'', is known as the lowland horopito. It is a shrub or small tree growing up to eight metres tall in lowland and lower montane forests from 35° to 42° South. In the South Island it grows West of the Main Divide. *'' Pseudowintera colorata'', or mountain horopito, is an evergreen shrub or small tree (1–2.5 m) commonly called pepperwood because its leaves have a very hot bite. Its yellow and green leaves are blotched with red; new leaves in the spring are bright red. It is widespread throughout New Zealand, from lowland forests to higher montane forests, and from 36° 30' South as far southwards as Stewart Is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hebe (plant)
''Veronica'' sect. ''Hebe'' is a group of plants within the genus ''Veronica (plant), Veronica'', native to New Zealand, Rapa Iti, Rapa in French Polynesia, the Falkland Islands and South America. It was formerly treated as the separate genus ''Hebe'' (). It includes about 90 species. Almost all species occur in New Zealand, apart from ''Veronica rapensis'' (endemic (ecology), endemic to Rapa) and ''Veronica salicifolia'', found in South America. It is named after the Greek mythology, Greek goddess of youth, Hebe (mythology), Hebe. Informally, species in the section may be called shrubby veronicas or hebes. Hebes are widely grown as ornamental plants (see #Cultivation, Cultivation below). Description Species in ''Veronica'' sect. ''Hebe'' have four perpendicular rows of leaf, leaves in opposite decussate pairs. The flowers are Perfect flower, perfect, the Corolla (flower), corolla usually has four slightly unequal lobes, the flower has two stamens and a long carpel, style. Flowe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
