Plants

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.Indigenous New Zealand flora generally has the following characteristics:[1]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 evolved into larger forms compared with similar plant families in other countries.Trees and shrubs Main article: List of trees native to New ZealandAkeake 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 Kanuka Kapuka or Broadleaf Karaka Karamū Karo Kauri Kawakawa 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 or marbleleaf Rangiora or Bushman's friend Rewarewa or New Zealand honeysuckle Ribbonwood or Manatu Rimu or Red Pine Southern rātā Tanekaha Taraire Tawa Titoki Toatoa Toru Totara Tetrapathaea tetrandra Tutu Yellow pine Whau Wineberry or MakomakoFernsWhile 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,[2] but there are numerous ground, climbing and perching smaller ferns to be found throughout the countries forests, the largest of which is the King fern.[3] A Black Tree Fern in the Auckland DomainSilver fern or Ponga, Cyathea dealbata New Zealand Tree Fern, Dicksonia squarrosa Black Tree Fern or Mamaku, Cyathea medullaris Tuokuro, Dicksonia lanata Kuripaka, Dicksonia fibrosa Mountain Tree Fern, Cyathea colensoi Gully Tree Fern, Cyathea cunninghamii Soft Tree Fern, Cyathea smithii King fern, Ptisana salicina Prince of Wales fern, Leptopteris superba Hound's tongue fern, Microsorum pustulatum Kidney fern or Raurenga, Trichomanes reniforme Hen and chickens fern, Asplenium bulbiferum Hanging spleenwort, Asplenium flaccidum Mangemange, Lygodium articulatumGrassesThere are 187 species of native grasses in New Zealand: 157 endemic and 30 indigenous species.[6]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 speciesHordeeae Australopyrum, 1 species Elymus, 7 species Stenostachys, 3 species DanthonieaeToetoeChionochloa, 22 species Cortaderia (Toetoe), 5 species Pyrrhanthera, 1 species Rytidosperma, 18 speciesChlorideaeZoysia, 2 speciesLeptureaeLepturus, 1 speciesPaniceaeCenchrus, 1 species Oplismenus, 1 species Spinifex, 1 speciesIsachneaeIsachne, 1 speciesAndropogoneaeImperata, 1 species