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 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.
Stipa is a genus of around 300 large perennial hermaphroditic grasses collectively known as feather grass, needle grass, and spear grass. They are placed in the subfamily Pooideae and the tribe Stipeae, which also contains many species formerly assigned to Stipa, which have since been reclassified into new genera.
Berberis, commonly known as barberry, is a large genus of deciduous and evergreen shrubs from 1–5 m (3.3–16.4 ft) tall, found throughout temperate and subtropical regions of the world. Species diversity is greatest in South America and Asia; Europe, Africa and North America have native species as well. The best-known Berberis species is the European barberry, Berberis vulgaris, which is common in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and central Asia, and has been widely introduced in North America. Many of the species have spines on the shoots and all along the margins of the leaves.
Microbiota is a monotypic genus of evergreen coniferous shrubs in the cypress family Cupressaceae, containing only one species, Microbiota decussata. The plant is native and endemic to a limited area of the Sikhote-Alin mountains in Primorskiy Krai in the Russian Far East. Microbiota is not to be confused with the range of microorganisms of the same name. The genus name was derived from micro-, meaning "small", + Biota, the genus name for a closely related conifer, a species formerly called Biota orientalis, now renamed Platycladus orientalis.
Helictotrichon sempervirens, the blue oat grass, is a species of flowering plant in the true grass family, Poaceae, native to central and southwest European grasslands. It is a bunchgrass often used as an ornamental grass in garden design and landscaping.
Umbilicus oppositifolius, common names lamb's-tail and gold drop, is a succulent, perennial flowering plant, a species in the genus Umbilicus of the family Crassulaceae. It is endemic to shady mountain areas in the Caucasus.
Apera is a small genus of annual grasses, known commonly as silkybent grass or windgrass. They are native to Europe, North Africa and parts of Asia but have been introduced and naturalized in much of North and South America.
Struthiopteris spicant, syn. Blechnum spicant, is a species of fern in the family Blechnaceae, known by the common names hard-fern or deer fern. It is native to Europe, western Asia, northern Africa, and western North America. Like some other species in the family Blechnaceae, it has two types of leaves. The sterile leaves have flat, wavy-margined leaflets 5 to 8 millimeters wide, while the fertile leaves have much narrower leaflets, each with two thick rows of sori on the underside.
Selaginella kraussiana is a species of vascular plant in the family Selaginellaceae. It is referred to by the common names Krauss' spikemoss, Krauss's clubmoss, or African clubmoss, and is found naturally in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa and in Macaronesia. It is sometimes given the misnomer of “peacock fern”, due to its lacy leaf structure, despite having no relation to actual ferns; rather, it belongs to the very ancient lineage of plants known as the clubmosses.
Salvia is the largest genus of plants in the sage family Lamiaceae, with nearly 1000 species of shrubs, herbaceous perennials, and annuals. Within the Lamiaceae, Salvia is part of the tribe Mentheae within the subfamily Nepetoideae. One of several genera commonly referred to as sage, it includes two widely used herbs, Salvia officinalis and Salvia rosmarinus.
Lycianthes rantonnetii, the blue potato bush or Paraguay nightshade, is a species of flowering plant in the nightshade family Solanaceae, native to South America. Growing to about 6 ft (1.8 m) tall and broad, it is a rounded evergreen shrub with a somewhat lax habit. A profusion of trumpet-shaped, bright blue-purple flowers with a prominent yellow eye appear in summer, followed by red berries. It is widely cultivated and may be hardy in mild or coastal areas. Alternatively it can be grown in a container and brought under cover in winter. It requires a sheltered location in full sun. Though related to food plants like the potato and tomato, all parts of the plant are considered toxic to humans.
Dichelachne is a genus of Australian, Indonesian, and Pacific Island plants in the grass family. They are known commonly as plumegrasses.
Veronica albicans, synonym Hebe albicans, is a species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae, native to New Zealand.
Semiarundinaria fastuosa, the Narihira bamboo, Narihira cane or Narihiradake, is a species of flowering plant in the grass family Poaceae, native to Japan. Growing to 7 m (23 ft) tall by 2 m (7 ft) broad, it is a vigorous, evergreen bamboo with dark green cylindrical canes and dense tufts of lanceolate, glossy green leaves, up to 20 cm (8 in) long.
Celtica gigantea, commonly called giant feather grass, giant needle grass, or golden oats, is a species of flowering plant in the grass family Poaceae, native to the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco. It is still widely referenced in the horticultural literature under its synonym Stipa gigantea.
Hoheria sexstylosa, the long-leaved lacebark or ribbonwood, is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae, endemic to New Zealand. It is an evergreen tree or shrub growing to 8 m (26 ft) tall by 6 m (20 ft) broad with glossy green leaves, and white flowers in summer and autumn. The Latin specific epithet sexstylosa means "six styles".
Astelia chathamica, the Chatham Islands kakaha, Maori flax, or silver spear, is a species of flowering plant in the recently named family Asteliaceae. It is an evergreen silver-green perennial from the Chatham Islands of New Zealand, growing to about 1.2 m (4 ft) tall. Forming a large clump of sword-shaped leaves, it produces small green flowers and red berries. It grows best in partial shade and in fertile and well-drained soil with moderate water. The plant is hardy down to −3 °C (27 °F), but the foliage may be damaged by frost, so in colder areas the plant may require some winter protection.
Jovellana is a genus of flowering plants in the family Calceolariaceae. It was formerly included in Scrophulariaceae, and is still listed by some authorities as belonging there. However, recent molecular research indicates that the family Scrophulariaceae was polyphyletic, meaning that it contained more than one lineage with different parents. So several of its genera - including Jovellana - have been split off and assigned to new or existing families.
Libertia chilensis, synonym Libertia formosa, called the New Zealand satin flower, snowy mermaid, or Chilean-iris, is a species of flowering plant in the iris family, Iridaceae, native to the Juan Fernández Islands, central and southern Chile, and southern Argentina. It can also be found growing wild in the San Francisco Bay Area and San Bernardino County in California, where it is an introduced species. A rhizomatous evergreen perennial, it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Austroderia fulvida, the toetoe, is a species of grass in the family Poaceae, native to New Zealand. As its synonym Cortaderia fulvida it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit as an ornamental.
