Canterbury coastal

Very little of our original native coastal vegetation has survived. Farming and urban settlement have destroyed the coastal natural communities, and exotic species such as marram grass, lupins and pine trees have replaced the natural vegetation of pīngao, flax and ngaio.

The native species once colonised dry and unstable soils and sand dunes, where they provided shelter against strong, salt-laden winds, and habitat for the native wildlife.

PLANT NAME (T = threatened, R = rare)

Coastal forest

1. Coprosma crassifolia thick-leaved coprosma
2. Coprosma propinqua mingmingi
3. Coprosma robusta karamü
4. Cordyline australis ti köuka, cabbage tree
5. Corokia cotoneaster korokio, corokia
6. Cortaderia richardii toetoe
7. Discaria toumatou tümatakuru, matagouri
8. Dodonaea viscosa akeake
9. Griselinia littoralis päpäuma, broadleaf
10. Hebe salicifolia koromiko
11. Kunzea ericoides känuka
12. Leptospermum scoparium mänuka, tea tree
13. Macropiper excelsum kawakawa
14. Melicytus ramiflorus
15. Myoporum laetum ngaio
16. Myrsine australis mäpou
17. Olearia paniculata akiraho, golden akeake
18. Phormium tenax harakeke, New Zealand flax
19. Pittosporum eugenioides
20. Pittosporum tenuifolium black matipo, köhühu
21. Pseudopanax arboreus
22. Solanum laciniatum poroporo
23. Sophora prostrata dwarf köwhai

Mid dunes

1. Acaena novae-zelandiae
2. Carex littoralis (R/T)
3. Carex trifida tataki
4. Carmichaelia appressa (R) maukoro, common native broom
5. Clematis afoliata pöhue, leafless clematis
6. Coprosma acerosa sand coprosma
7. Craspedia ‘Kaitorete’ (R/T)
8. Festuca novae-zelandiae fescue tussock
9. Helichrysum lanceolatum niniao
10. Muehlenbeckia astonii (T) shrubby tororaro
11. Muehlenbeckia axillaris
12. Muehlenbeckia complexa pöhuehue
13. Muehlenbeckia ephedroides (R)
14. Ozothamnus leptophylla tauhinu, golden cottonwood
15. Phormium cookianum, wharariki
16. Pimelea prostrata native sand daphne
17. Poa cita wï silver tussock
18. Raoulia australis
19. Salicornia australis southern grasswort
20. Samolus repens sea primrose
21. Scleranthus uniflorus näereere
22. Tetragonia trigyna kökihi, New Zealand spinach

Fore dunes

1. Austrofestuca littoralis (R/T) sand tussock
2. Calystegia soldanella wihiwihi, sand convululus
3. Carex pumila sand sedge
4. Desmoschoenus spiralis pïngao, golden sand sedge
5. Disphyma australe horokaka, Maori ice plant
6. Euphorbia glauca (R/T) waiuatua
7. Linum monogynum rauhuia, New Zealand linen flax
8. Pimelea arenaria daphne
9. Raoulia australis
10. Zoysia minima (R)

Swampy hollows

1. Bolboschoenus caldwellii purua, sedge
2. Isolepis basilaris (R/T) turf club rush
3. Isolepis nodosa
4. Juncus maritimus sea rush
5. Leptocarpus similis oioi, jointed wire rush
6. Plagianthus divaricatus marsh ribbonwood
7. Schoenoplectus pungens three-square
8. Selliera radicans remuremu, a mat plant