Canterbury foothills forests
Beech/tawhai is the most common native forest in the Canterbury foothills. Black beech/tawhairauriki (Nothofagus solandri) dominates the lower slopes, while mountain beech/tawhairauriki (Nothofagus solandri var cliffortioides) is more prevalent at higher altitudes and on the more exposed harsh sites. Red beech/tawhairaunui (Nothofagus fusca) is also present, but is uncommon and found only in the Mt Grey area.
Podocarp species, such as kahikatea (Dacrycarpus dacrydiodes), mataï (Prumnopitys taxifolia), and rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum) are also present on the poorly drained lower slopes and moist gullies where they mix with beech. The understorey is diverse, and consists of a wide range of shrubs, herbaceous plants and fern species. The more common shrubs include species of Coprosma/karamū, lancewood/horoeka, broadleaf/kāpuka (Griselinia littoralis), putaputāwëtā (Carpodetus serratus), wineberry/makomako (Aristotelia serrata), and other Pseudopanax species.
Regenerating forest is also a feature of the Canterbury foothills flora and is represented by broadleaf, kōwhai (Sophora microphylla), small-leaved Coprosma species, mountain wineberry (Aristotelia fruticosa), mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium), and kānuka (Kunzea ericoides).
Southern rata (Metrosideros umbellata) is found sporadically, growing on bluffs and rock outcrops, especially in the Alford Forest.
PLANT NAME (T = threatened, R = rare)
- Aristotelia serrata, makomako, wineberry
- Astelia fragrans, kakaha, bush lily
- Carex buchananii, matirewa, cutty grass
- Carex dispacea
- Carex tenuiculmis (R)
- Carmichaelia torulosa (R)
- Carpodetus serratus putaputäwëtä, marble leaf
- Clematis paniculata
- Coprosma Taylorii
- Coprosma linariifolia
- Coprosma lucida
- Coprosma propinqua, mingimingi
- Coprosma rhamnoides
- Coprosma robusta, karamü
- Coprosma rotundifolia
- Coprosma virescens
- Cordyline australis, ti köuka, cabbage tree
- Dacrydium cupressium rimu
- Elaeocarpus hookerianus pökäkä
- Griselinia littoralis, päpäuma, broadleaf
- Hebe salicifolia, koromiko
- Hebe traversii
- Hoheria lyallii houhi, mountain ribbonwood
- Melicope simplex poataniwha
- Melicytus flexuosus
- Metrosideros umbellata southern rätä, ironwood
- Myrsine australis, matipou, mäpou
- Myrsine divaricata, weeping mäpou
- Nothofagus fusca, tawhairaunui, red beech
- Nothofagus solandri, tawhairauriki, black beech
- Nothofagus solandri var cliffortioides, tawhairauriki, mountain beech
- Olearia avicenniaefolia, mountain akeake
- Phormium cookianum, wharariki, mountain flax
- Pittosporum eugenioides, tarata, lemonwood
- Pittosporum tenuifolium, köhühu, black matipo
- Plagianthus regius, mänatu, ribbonwood
- Podocarpus hallii mountain tötara
- Prumnopitys ferruginea miro
- Prumnopitys taxifolia mataï, black pine
- Pseudopanax arboreus, whauwhaupaku, five finger
- Pseudopanax colensoi orihou, mountain five finger
- Pseudopanax crassifolius horoeka, lancewood
- Raukaua anomalus
- Sophora microphylla, köwhai
- Uncinia rubra
- Zotovia avenacea
