Leptinella squalida subsp. mediana is endemic to the South and Stewart Islands. It is found from northwest Nelson and inland Marlborough to Fiordland, and on Stewart Island. It grows from coastal to alpine areas from sea-level to 2000 m a.s.l. It is widespread and abundant, and often found on river beds, cobble or sand beaches, in short tussock grassland, in alpine herbfields and sometimes in lowland wet depressions and ephemeral wetlands. On the eastern side of the South Island it is more common in wetter situations and is absent from drier areas to the south. It is a dioecious, widely creeping, fast-growing perennial herb forming dense monospecific turfs or intermingled with other turf species. It has rhizomes at or near soil surface, with dark green to red-green, flexible, hairy branches with hairy bronze-green foliage. It has green-yellow flowers from August to February.

 Microleana avenacea or bush rice-grass is endemic to the North, South, Stewart and Auckland Islands, where its is fairly common in forests from sea level to 860m asl. A pleasing grass of 40cm or so tall, with spreading to somewhat drooping pale to deep green foliage, that can be slightly bluish in appearance. It is also recognised by its attractive slender and dainty flower stems, which can be up to 60cm tall and appear in summer. Being a forest dwelling species it is an ideal plant for growing under trees, and prefers moist soil and shade that is not too dense. It combines well with ferns and large leaved herbaceous plants.

Olearia odorata or scented tree daisy is endemic to the South Island. Its is found in lowland and montane shrubland and scrub, in the eastern parts from Marlborough to Otago, in Canterbury/Westland east of the main divide, and common in the Mackenzie Basin. A dark, bushy deciduous shrub that grows up to 4m tall, it has rather stiff interlacing branches, that are round in cross-section, although young branches are light fawn and downy, and are often flanged with narrow raisied ridges, one on either side of the stem, lined with fine grooves. It has small rather thick flat leaves that are dark green above and white underneath. Its flower buds are sticky, then small whitish scented flowers appear from December to February, followed by fluffy pale fawn to greyish white seed from January to March, that are dispersed by the wind.

Carmichaelia glabrescens or the pink-flowering tree broom is endemic to the South Island, where it is found naturally in Marlborough - south of the Awatere Fault. Found in the Clarence and Waima Ure River Valley’s and on slopes of the seaward Kaikouras. It is found in lowland to montane area, in alluvial terraces, gorges, cliff faces and steep valley sides, from sea-level to 1200m asl. It is  an upright shrub to small tree up to 10m tall, with many slender weeping branches that are near leafless. It has masses of pink flowers with dark pink veins from November to January, that are great at attracting bees. It is very tolerant of dry and windy conditions, and frost. Carmichaelia glabrescens is very similar to Carmichaelia carmichaeliae. They have a similar growth habit, branchlets, and flowers. Carmichaelia carmichaeliae differs from Carmichaelia glabrescens by the pods being weakly constricted between the seeds, the seed outline often visible through the dry fruit wall, and the lower filaments are usually persistent on mature fruits. Carmichaelia glabrescens pods are shorter and broader, there are no constrictions between seeds, the seed outline is not visible through the fruit wall, and the lower filaments are usually absent from mature fruits.

Acaena inermis 'Purpurea', purple biddy biddy, bidibidi, or piripiri. It is a cultivated form of the endemic species Acaena inermis which is found in the South Island. It is a compact and hardy herbaceous groundcover with a one metre spread. It has a good tight habit and unlike most species of Acaena, it doesn't have barbs on the spines of its seed-heads. It likes a sunny or shady, moist position, and its attractive deep purple leaves creates a mass makes it an effective groundcover or ideal for a rock garden.
Feed with a slow release fertiliser to attain the best foliage colour.

Leptinella nana or pygmy button daisy is endemic to the North and South Islands. It is one of New Zealand’s most threatened species, and is nationally critical. In the North Island it is only known from the south western coastline at one site near Titahi Bay. In the South Island it is known from two sites, one at the Rai Valley, Marlborough and the other near Mount Pleasant (this population is under rocky bluffs on the Lyttelton Bluff Track), in the Port Hills, near Christchurch, Canterbury. Leptinella nana’s habitat varies from forest to coastal and montane cliff-top grassland, but common features are the need for disturbance patches, shelter, and supply of moisture. The species appears to have adopted a strategy of constant colonisation of small patches of bare ground and so occupies a highly dynamic and changing micro-habitat.  Leptinella nana is a very small, perennial herb which forms very low open mats. Easily distinguished from all other indigenous, small-leaved, diminutive Leptinella species by the branches which radiate from a central cluster, rhizome leaves crowded at the apex, short shorts absent or reduced, leaf bases, phyllaries and florets which lack dark veins; and by the slender rhizomes up to 0.5 mm diameter, membranous leaves, and yellow-green capitula up to 2 mm diameter.  It flowers from early spring to end of October and early autumn to early winter.  As it is very small it is easily lost by being over topped by taller plants. It does best in permanently open ground. An ideal plant, once established for high impact areas, though it seems to prefer a damp soil to do best.  This plant is extremely threatened, and the likely factors in any local extinction of Leptinella nana include loss of temporary open sites for colonisation, increased competition from other plants, opening up of protective vegetation allowing sites to dry out or become weedy, increased erosion or deposition of debris, excessive trampling by people and animals, loss of seed dispersal vectors like terrestrial birds and other animals, seed loss to unsuitable habitat, and indiscriminate herbicide use. Slugs are a threat to cultivated plants of Leptinella nana.

Poa colensoi, or blue tussock is endemic to the North, South and Stewart Islands. It is found from the Coromandel Peninsula southwards, and occurs in lowland to subalpine grasslands, herbfields and rocky places fro 300-1500m asl, but descends almost to sea level in South Otago. Poa colensoi is a small, rather stiff tussock of variable habit and colour. It grows to 20-25cm high, and is not very wide-spreading, It has very fine, tightly rolled leaves, that vary in colour from blue-green to an almost tawny colour. It has flower stems that rise well above the foliage. It is very hardy, and mainly grows in drier areas, so is great for sunny, drier positions in the garden. It can make a good front border plant, and is also suitable for a rock garden.