Podocarpus totara (Totara)
Cannibal Bay, Catlins
This beautiful tree is described in the Flora of the North Island section of the site.
Forest totaras can grow very tall, but in exposed coastal sites, like here, they grow much smaller, with contorted, stunted forms.
Forest totaras can grow very tall, but in exposed coastal sites, like here, they grow much smaller, with contorted, stunted forms.
Pectinopitys ferruginea (syn. Prumnopitys ferruginea) (Miro)
McLean Falls, Catlins
Lake Wilkie, Catlins
One of the emblematic trees o New Zealand's forests, this beautiful podocarp is similar to Matai (Prumnopitys taxifolia). Both grow to around 30m tall, with yew-like adult leaves. The easiest way to tell the two apart as adults is by looking at the trunk - Miro has scaly, flaky bark and lacks the prominent 'hammer marks' of Matai. As juveniles, the plants are very different - Miro has a straggly, divaricating habit, while juvenile Miros look similar to adults but with longer leaves.
juvenile Miro
juvenile Miro
Coprosma rotundifolia
Mt Peel Forest, Canterbury
Small-leaved Coprosmas can be difficult to identify, but this species is quite distinctive - the leaves are small, soft and downy, with strong purple colouration around their bases. When present, the fruits are orange.
C.rotundifolia grows as a large shrub or small tree and can be found across New Zealand, usually at low altitude.
C.rotundifolia grows as a large shrub or small tree and can be found across New Zealand, usually at low altitude.
Metrosideros diffusa (White Climbing Rata)
Mt Peel Forest, Canterbury
One of the six climbing, vine-like Metrosideros in New Zealand, M.diffusa is a widespread species in lowland forests. It can be identified by its quite long, pointed leaves which lack hairs or translucent dots, as well as its white flowers.
Carpodetus serratus (Putaputaweta)
Sharplin Falls, Canterbury
This species is described in the Flora of Stewart Island section of the site.
Olearia ilicifolia (Mountain Holly)
McLean Falls, Catlins
This species is described in the Flora of the south-western South Island section of the site.
Pseudopanax arboreus (Five-finger)
Lake Wilkie, Catlins
Parakaunui Falls, Catlins
This common forest species is described in the Flora of the northern South Island section of the site.
Parakaunui Falls, Catlins
Parakaunui Falls, Catlins
Pittosporum eugenioides (Tarata / Lemonwood)
Lake Wilkie, Catlins
Mt Peel Forest, Canterbury
The English common name for this large shrub or small forest tree comes from the lemon-scented leaves. These have a characteristic shape as well, with undulating margins and a graceful, narrowly-pointed shape.
Lemonwood is widespread in New Zealand and can be found in forests across most of the North and South Islands.
Lemonwood is widespread in New Zealand and can be found in forests across most of the North and South Islands.
Dracophyllum longifolium (Inaka) or uniflorum
Lake Wilkie, Catlins
This common shrub is described in the Flora of Stewart Island section of the site.
Cyathodes juniperina (Prickly Mingimingi)
Lake Wilkie, Catlins
This species is described in the Flora of Fiordland NP section of the site.
Griselinia lucida (Puka)
Sharplin Falls, Canterbury
A familiar forest plant, Puka is easy to recognise by its ovate (or almost circular) glossy, bright green leaves with strongly asymmetic leaf bases (although the large photo doesn't show a good example!). The closely-related Broadleaf (G.littoralis) has less glossy leaves with usually symmetrical bases and is seldom epiphytic, unlike G.lucida. It's possible I've misidentfied these, so please feel free to contact me!
flowering raceme, Parakaunui Falls, Catlins
flowering raceme, Parakaunui Falls, Catlins
Melicytus ramiflorus (Mahoe)
McLean Falls, Catlins
Parakaunui Falls, Catlins
A common large shrub or small tree, Mahoe can be seen throughout New Zealand's forests, although it is absent from Southland. It can be recognised by its toothed, soft leaves and white, blotchy bark. Its purple-black berries are a favourite of native birds.
Schefflera digitata (Pate / Seven-finger)
Parakaunui Falls, Catlins
flowering raceme in bud, Mt Peel Forest, Canterbury
This species is described in the Flora of the northern South Island section of the site.
Weinmannia racemosa (Kamahi)
Lake Wilkie, Catlins
A common forest tree in much of New Zealand, Kamahi is very distinctive when in bloom, as it bears long spikes of pale flowers. The leaves are thick and leathery, with wavy, toothed margins.
Tautuku Estuary, Catlins
Tautuku Estuary, Catlins
Fuchsia excorticata (Tree Fuchsia)
fallen flower, McLean Falls, Catlins
trunk detail, Mt Peel, Canterbury
This common and very beautiful forest tree is easy to recognise, even when not in bloom, by its peeling red-brown papery bark. It is the largest species of Fuchsia in the world, and like its familiar garden cousins, it bears pendent, bell-shaped pink flowers with unusual blue pollen. The leaves are thin, with pale, silvery undersides.
Tree Fuchsia is widespread in New Zealand, although it is absent from the driest eastern parts of the South Island.
Parakauniu Falls, Catlins
Tree Fuchsia is widespread in New Zealand, although it is absent from the driest eastern parts of the South Island.
Parakauniu Falls, Catlins
Salicornia australis
Curio Bay, Catlins
Text coming soon!
Celmisia lindsayi
Nugget Point
Text coming soon!
Acaena novae-zelandiae
Nugget Point, Catlins
Text coming soon!
Aristotelia serrata (Wineberry)
McLean Falls, Catlins
This species is described in the Flora of Fiordland section of the site.
Gentianella saxosa
Curio Bay, Catlins
Text coming soon!
Kunzea ericoides (Kanuka)
Mt Peel Forest, Canterbury
This species is described in the Flora of the northern South Island section of the site.
Hebe elliptica (Kokomuka)
Nugget Point, Catlins
This coastal Hebe is common on headlands in the Catlins. It grows as a small shrub, up to around 2 metres tall, with large flower spikes when in bloom. The bluish-green leaves are dull in appearance and have hairy edges. This feature helps distinguish it from the similar H.rakaiensis.
Tetragonia tetragonoides
Nugget Point, Catlins
Text coming soon!
Aciphylla colensoi or scott-thompsonii
Mt Peel, Canterbury
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Aciphylla aurea
Torlesse Range, Canterbury
Samolus repens
Curio Bay, Catlins
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Nothofagus solandri var.cliffortioides (Mountain Beech)
Sharplin Falls, Canterbury
A widespread, often dominant, tree of montane and subalpine forest in the South Island, Mountain Beech can be recognised by its untoothed leaves (those of Silver Beech have small teeth around the margins).
Mountain Beech can grow to a tall tree in favourable conditions and forms an important part of the mountain ecosystem. Its trunk is often festooned with epiphytes and lichens.
Mountain Beech can grow to a tall tree in favourable conditions and forms an important part of the mountain ecosystem. Its trunk is often festooned with epiphytes and lichens.
Parsonsia heterophylla
Mt Peel Forest, Cantebury
Leptospermum scoparium (Manuka)
Mt Peel Forest, Canterbury
While diverse in eastern Australia, New Zealand has only one native Leptospermum. Manuka is a well-known and familiar plant. This photo illustrates its solitary flowers. Other key dierences are described with Kanuka (Kunzea ericoides) in the Flora of the northern South Island section of the site.
Melicytus alpinus
Nugget Point, Catlins
Despite its unusual, slightly vicious appearance, this species is actually a close relative of the garden pansy! Melicytus has more than a dozen species in New Zealand and M.alpinus is one of the most widespread.
It occurs from low alpine regions right down to coastal sites and can be identified by its dense, tangled, spine-tipped branches and thin, slightly glossy leaves with nothced tips. M.crassifolius is very similar, but usually has thicker leaves and is less densely-branched.
It occurs from low alpine regions right down to coastal sites and can be identified by its dense, tangled, spine-tipped branches and thin, slightly glossy leaves with nothced tips. M.crassifolius is very similar, but usually has thicker leaves and is less densely-branched.
Ferns
Asplenium bulbiferum (Hen & Chickens Fern)
Mt Peel Forest, Canterbury
This species is described in the Flora of Stewart Island section of the site.
Microsorum scandens (Fragrant Fern)
Mt Peel Forest, Canterbury
Common across New Zealand, this fern can be seen in a variety of situations from rocks to tree trunks. Named for its scrambling habit, the wiry stem of this fern is a good identifying feature as are the quite finely-lobed fronds (although young fronds are strap-like and undivided).
Zealandia pustulata (syn. Microsorum pustulatum)
Mt Peel Forest, Canterbury
Another common fern throughout New Zealand, this species scrambles over rocks and soil, and is also frequently seen as an epiphyte.
Identifying this fern is straightforward - its fronds are thick, glossy and leathery. These starts out as entire and strap-shaped, becoming deeply-lobed with age.
Identifying this fern is straightforward - its fronds are thick, glossy and leathery. These starts out as entire and strap-shaped, becoming deeply-lobed with age.
Blechnum chambersii (Rereti)
McLean Falls, Catlins
Mt Peel Forest, Canterbury
A common fern of damp forest and stream banks, the finely-toothed, pinnate fronds of this fern can grow to over half a metre long. These form a flat rosette, but that's not obvious from this photo, where fronds were hanging over the bank of a small forest stream.
fertile frond, showing very narrow pinnae
fertile frond, showing very narrow pinnae
Blechnum discolor (Piupiu / Crown Fern)
Mt Peel Forest, Canterbury
This beautiful species is described in the Flora of the northern South Island section of the site.
Asplenium flaccidum (Hanging Spleenwort)
Mt Peel Forest, Canterbury
This distinctive forest ferm grows a straggly clumps hanging from trees and tree ferns (and occasionally growing on rocks). The very narrow pinnae give it a distinctive look and fronds can grow to over a metre long. This species can be seen across New Zealand in suitable habitat.
Asplenium obtusatum ssp.obtusatum
Porpoise Bay, Catlins
Text coming soon!
Histiopteris incisa (Water Fern) & Hypolepis millefolium (Thousand-leaved Fern)
Mt Peel Forest, Canterbury
It's not the best photo but shows these two common ferns growing together. H.incisa is found throughout New Zealand in damp, fairly open habitats. It is also found in Australia and is described (along with a better photo) in the Flora of Victoria section of the site.
Hypolepis millefolium is the brighter green, finely-divided fern in the background in this photo. It is described in the Flora of the south-western South Island section of the site.
Hypolepis millefolium is the brighter green, finely-divided fern in the background in this photo. It is described in the Flora of the south-western South Island section of the site.
Pellaea rotundifolia (Button Fern)
Mt Peel Forest, Canterbury
Text coming soon!
Dicksonia fibrosa (Wheki-Ponga)
Mt Peel Forest, Canterbury
The heavy, scruffy 'skirt' of old fronds helps to identify this impressive tree fern. It can be found throughout most of New Zealand and has a characteristically thick, rusty-brown trunk. Unlike its cousin, D.squarrosa, the crowns have many fronds and lack the deciduous hairs that are a key character of the latter.
Cyathea smithii (Soft Tree Fern)
McLean Falls, Catlins
This species is described in the Flora of the south-western South Island section of the site.