Austroblechnum penna-marina, syn Blechnum penna-marina, little hard fern or alpine hard fern occurs in the North, South, Stewart, Chatham, Auckland, Campbell, Antipodes and Macquarie Islands. Also occurs in South Ammerica and Australia. One of New Zealands most commonest and easily recognised ferns, it grows in coastal and lowland to alpine regions in grassland, open forest, scrublands, moraine, herb-field, fellfield, rocky places and boggy areas, where it is common throughout the South Island and southern North Island, but local from the Bay of Plenty north. It is readily grown, and in spite  of being common, makes a useful garden plant. Given enough space it will quickly grow to form a dense and handsome ground-cover. It is very useful for rock gardens and stone walls where it will creep around and fill all the gaps between rocks and in crevices. The young fronds can be a reddish colour when it is grown in an open area. One characteristic of this fern is that the fronds stalks are nearly always bent and twisted and are rarely perfectly straight. It will grow in a wide range of conditions and soil types, and will grow easily in sun or semi-shade, moist.

Pennantia corymbosa, kaikomako or firelighter is endemic, and is found throughout the North, South and Stewart Islands . It is uncommon north of Auckland and on Stewart Island. It is a handsome flowering, and foliage tree that can grow 4.6m to 10.6m tall, and is found  in lowland and hilly forest from sea-level to 600m asl. It prefers gowing in a moist soil in an open situation. Its juvenile stage, which can last up to 20 years, is a tangled mass of wiry, zig-zagging branches bearing small leaves with 3-4 large lobes at the tip. As an adult it will form a round-headed tree bearing much larger leaves that still have small lobes at the tip (though these are less obvious). It will produce clusters of waxy white, fragrant flowers from November to February.
Kaikomako was seen in Maori myth as the tree  to which fire, or the seeds of fire fled when a contest raged between the demi-god Maui and Mahuika, the goddess of fire.  Because of this it is regarded as the best wood for firesticks from which they obtain fire by friction. Usually by rubbing sticks of kaikomako, together with a soft wooded tree like mahoe.

Hoheria lyallii, whauwhi or Mountain lacebark is endemic to the South Island, where it is mostly known from eastern Canterbury and Marlborough with a disjunct population in Nelson (Kahurangi National Park). It is found in montane and subalpine areas in the upper forest margins, and occasionally on river and stream terraces where it may be found in groves. It is a small spreading soft-wooded deciduous tree of up to 8m tall, inhabiting dryer mountain areas of the South Island. It has thin leaves that are covered in small hairs, widest at base and narrowing to point, margin with many uneven blunt teeth and some deeper divisions, on long stalks. It has white cupped flowers from November to February that develop into a dry narrowly-winged fruit.  In a garden situation this extremely attractive species prefers a damp soil in a sunny site, and does best in cooler climates. It dislikes humidity and will not flower in warmer climates unless it is subjected to cold treatment . It is named after David Lyall (1817-1895), a 19th century Scottish naturalist and surgeon with the Royal Navy, who explored Antarctica, New Zealand, the Arctic and North America and was a lifelong friend of Sir Joseph Hooker.

Sophora chathamica, Chatham Island kowhai or coastal kowhai is endemic to the North, South and Chatham Islands. It is probably only indigenous to the northern half of the North Island, where it is common in the west from the Tongaporutu River to Te Paki. In the east it is abundant south to about Thames, so far it has not been reported south and east of there. Very common around Auckland, the Hauraki Gulf and from Port Waikato south to Kawhia. There are some inland occurrences in the lower Waikato Basin. Disjunct occurrences around Wellington, the Chatham Islands and Whanganui Inlet may result from deliberate plantings by the Maori. A tree that grows up to 20 m tall, with one or more trunks with spreading to upright, sometimes hairy branches, with juveniles weakly twisted in shape and moderately to densely leafy. It is primarily a species of coastal forest, often on cliff faces or banks overlooking estuarine rivers or inlets, but also occasionally it is found in swamp forest. It has bright yellow flowers from August to November followed by seed pods from October to September. Plant in full sun or semi shade in any reasonable conditions with good drainage, do not like a water logged soil in winter. The main threat that faces all wild New Zealand kowhai species is the risk posed through planting for revegetation and horticultural purposes of hybrid material, foreign species, such as the Chilean Pelu (S. cassioides) and also of kowhai species outside their natural range.

Raoulia subsericea or turf mat daisy is endemic to the South Island, and is found in montane to subalpine regions from 400-1500m asl. It is found growing in high open ground in grasslands, subalpine tussock-land, turf and open shrubland. It is a low growing perennial that forms turf-like patches or mats that are barely 1cm and often 20-40cm across. It has very tiny narrow pale green leaves that have white tufts of hair on its tips, and can sometimes have a very ashen or greyish appearance. It has small white daisy-like flowers that have very pale yellow to white centres from December to February. It is easily grown and prefers a sunny position in cool-moist gritty soil, which makes it a great rock garden plant. Once established it can tolerate quite dry conditions.

Melicope simplex or poataniwha is endemic to the North and South Islands from North Cape southwards. It is found from sea-level to 600m asl, and is common on the margins of coastal and lowland forest and in scrub. It is a shrub 1.8 - 3.6m tall to a small tree up to 8m tall, with slender divaricating branches and small scalloped leaves that are attached to the branches by a flattened and jointed petiole. Horticulturally it does not have a lot to commend it and is usually more for a plant collector. It has small scented green flowers in spring followed by shinny black seeds that hang from the seed pod by threads. The flowers attract insects which in turn will attract birds like the fantail. Not fussy about conditions which makes it ideal for exposed sites. The interlacing branches, with a light prune will bush up well.

Celmisia mackaui, Banks Peninsula daisy or Akaroa daisy is endemic to the South Island, on Banks Peninsula only, and is considered Naturally Uncommon due to this narrow range. It is locally widespread in the small part of Banks Peninsula from which it is known. Some populations are in decline as a natural consequence of vegetation succession to taller forest, this species having temporarily expanded its range into habitats created by past logging, fires and attempts at farming. It grows in coastal to montane areas from sea-level to 600m asl, and is usually found in damp, rocky places, especially along precipitous south-facing bluffs and waterfalls. Occasional extending into tussock grassland, and on sheltered rocky outcrops. Occasional found in seepages amongst flax. It is a robust woody-based multi-stemmed tufted, virtually hairless herb 45cm tall and up to 80cm across with short branchlets that arise from the roots, usually just below the soil surface, with light green to darker blue-green arching and drooping sword-shaped leaves that can have a glaucous bloom, in rosettes at the tips of branchlets. It flowers well and can produce numerous white daisy flowers with yellow centres on often purple short stout stems from January to February followed by wind dispersed seeds from February to June.  Flowers can be often flushed with pink-purple as they age. It does best in a shaded, moist but free draining soil, and like most Celmisia it dislikes humidity and will not tolerate drying out. It is great for a semi-shaded garden situation or for a rock garden.

 Austroblechnum penna-marina syn.  Blechnum penna-marina, little hard fern or alpine hard fern occurs in the North, South, Stewart, Chatham, Auckland, Campbell, Antipodes and Macquarie Islands. Also occurs in South America and Australia. One of New Zealands most commonest and easily recognised ferns, it grows in coastal and lowland to alpine regions in grassland, open forest, scrublands, moraine, herb-field, fellfield, rocky places and boggy areas, where it is common throughout the South Island and southern North Island, but local from the Bay of Plenty north. It is readily grown, and in spite  of being common, makes a useful garden plant. Given enough space it will quickly grow to form a dense and handsome ground-cover. It is very useful for rock gardens and stone walls where it will creep around and fill all the gaps between rocks and in crevices. The young fronds can be a reddish colour when it is grown in an open area. One characteristic of this fern is that the fronds stalks are nearly always bent and twisted and are rarely perfectly straight. It will grow in a wide range of conditions and soil types, and will grow easily in sun or semi-shade, moist.

Oxalis magellanica It is indigenous to New Zealand (North, South, Stewart, and Chatham Islands), Australia and South America. It is found from coastal to montane areas where it is mainly confined to indigenous forested habitats, though sometimes extending into the alpine zone. A species of riparian habitats, usually found within the flood zone of streams and rivers, and around the plunge pools of waterfalls. Provided its habitat is permanently moist it may be found growing in full sun but it is more usually seen in semi-shaded situations. Easily recognised by the preference for moist riparian habitats in indigenous forest; lack of bulbils; rhizomatous or stoloniferous habit, with shortly erect stems; glaucescent to dark green leaves and large solitary white flowers from September - March (sometimes year round). Does best in semi-shade in a permanently moist soil. It does not cope with drying out. An attractive, non-invasive species that forms patches of up to 70cm across.