Entelea arborescens or whau is endemic to the Three Kings, North (including Little and Great Barrier Islands) and South Islands. In the North Island, whau is locally common from Te Paki to about Kawhia and Mahia Peninsula south of there it is known from a few sites in the eastern Wairarapa, at Paekakariki and Wellington. In the South Island it is confined to the Golden Bay area of North-West Nelson. Whau naturalises easily and has established south of these stations from bach and urban plantings. It grows in coastal to lowland forest or shrubland. Usually in open sites such as around recent slips, tree falls, cliff faces, boulder slopes, sand dunes or on the margins of streams, rivers, lagoons and lakes. Mostly near the coast however it may occur well inland in some places e.g., the Waikato River near Hamilton, Rotorua. Some inland and southern North island occurrences are thought to be derived from deliberate plantings by Maori. It is a shrub or small spreading tree up to 8 m tall with a trunk up to 25cm in diameter, with upright branches with very light weighted wood and firm grey bark. It has rather large soft green leaves, and produces an abundance of white flowers from October to February that are followed by spiky seed capsules. Whau is however, rather short-lived (up to 15 years) although once established if often self sows. Its wood is remarkably light, which when dry does not exceed half the weight of a piece of cork the same size. Maori used it to make floats for fishing nets, and the framework for small rafts. It is not threatened but however, recent field work gathering samples for a study into the possible past use of whau by Maori indicates that whau is much less common in the North Island than it once was. Browsing pressure from cattle, goats and horses, clearance of coastal scrub of housing and the spread of invasive woody shrubs and trees into many northern coastal areas may be threatening some populations.

Leptinella calcarea is endemic to the South Island, and is found in north-west Nelson from Cape Farewell south to Kahurangi Point. It is found growing in coastal areas, on consolidated sand dunes, calcreous mudstones, limestones and conglomerate rock. This dioecious, perennial, tufted herb forms a loose to compact mat-like green carpet, and will occupy sites with minimal vegetation cover. Not invasive but will challenge other groundcovers if not maintained. It can be used as a lawn replacement in lower traffic areas and is very hardy.  It has small yellow flowers from August to November. It is best suited to full sun in a dryer well drained site. This naturally uncommon plant due to range restriction appears to be locally common within its only known habitats. There is no evidence that it has declined but most populations are rather small and could be at risk if current land use management practices in the area it occupies change.

Rhabdothamnus solandri , the New Zealand gloxinia which goes by a number of Maori names: taurepo, kaikaiatua, mata, matata, waiuatua
It is the only member of the genus Rhabdothamnus, and the only plant from the Gesneriaceae family native to New Zealand. It is endemic to the North Island and adjacent offshore islands, from Te Paki (North Cape) south to Manawatu Gorge, thence disjunct to just north of Pauatahanui Inlet, Porirua Harbour and at Smiths Creek near Makara, Wellington. This small twiggy shrub, which grows up to 2 metres tall, is found in coastal to lowland forests, near streams, or on banks. It has distinctive trumpet shaped flowers that range in colour from brick-red through to orange and more rarely a pale yellow, that occur throughout the year but peaking between October and February.
It is thought that in the past Rhabdothamnus solandri needed the long beaks of stitchbirds and bellbirds for pollination. It is now recorded that the colonist silvereye are nectar robbers of the flower by going through the side of the flower tube leaving holes. While doing this they partly maintain pollination for this species. It is frost tender, so would require protection if grown in parts of Christchurch.