Aciphylla subflabellata, kuri kuri, speargrass is endemic to the South Island in the east from south-eastern Marlborough to Southland. It is found in montane to subalpine from 300-1400 m a.s.l., usually in dry sites on alluvial terraces, gentle rolling slopes and colluvium, intermontane basins amongst short or tall tussocks and on the margins of grey scrub, sometimes on or near rock outcrops or amongst boulders. It is a stout perennial forming stout rosettes up to 40cm high and up to 75cm in diameter, it is recognised by its grey-green or brownish grey-green colour and its very slender leaflets. It has yellow flowers that occur on stout and very spiky flowering stems up to 1m tall from November to January, with seed developing from December to late January. It is widespread but generally never common, and is possibly more threatened than believed because many of its lowland habitats are extremely modified, weed infested and plants are browsed where accessible by cattle, rabbits and hares. Current herbarium evidence suggests that this species is still poorly known but that from available evidence it is naturally uncommon over large parts of its stated range. One of the easier species to cultivate, though it dislikes humidity and excessive moisture. Should be planted in a sunny, free draining situation, with a cool root run for its long tap root, and once planted do not transplant or disturb roots. Can be grown in a tub.

 Elaeocarpus hookerianus or pokaka, which is endemic to the North, South and Stewart Islands, but is uncommon from Auckland north. This common tree of lowland to montane forests can grow up to 12m tall with a trunk of up to 1m in diameter. Juvenile plants are quite different from the adult, having slender interlacing branchlets with small leaves that are a diverse range of shapes and lengths. The juvenile leaves can change quite quickly to the adult form when the tree is still only a few metres tall.  Mature trees flower from October – January, followed by small dark fruits from March to June. It is often confused with its relative hinau (Elaeocarpus dentatus).

Dacrycarpus dacrydioides, kahikatea or white pine is endemic to the North, South and Stewart Islands. It is found in lowland forest, formerly dominant on frequently flooded, and/or poorly drained alluvial soils. Occasionally extends into lower montane forest. Once the dominant tree of a distinct swamp forest type it is all but extinct in the North Island - the best examples remain on the West Coast of the South Island. There are great examples of this tree in areas of Banks Peninsula and at Riccarton Bush in Christchurch. It is the tallest of our native trees reaching its full potential after about 750 years. It prefers growing in wet swamp-lands but will grow in dryer sites if sheltered.

It is a stout, dioecious, cohort-forming conifer 50-65m. tall with a trunk 1-2m diameter that is often fluted and buttressed. It has grey to dark-grey bark, falling in thick, sinuous flakes. It has scale-like leaves. It flowers from October to January, then produces orange-red terminal fruits (female plants) from February to April, that bear the distinctive circular seeds serve to immediately distinguish this species from all other indigenous conifers. Its orange-red fruit is a favourite food for Kereru (wood pigeon). The Maori name kahikatea is now more widely used than kahika, katea. Like many other species in the family Podocarpaceae, the classification of kahikatea has changed over time, having also been placed in the genera Podocarpus and Nageia. The wood was tough, easy to work but not durable in weather and prone to attack by wood-boring insects. Since the wood does not impart an odour and is clean and lightweight, Kahikatea was used to make boxes for the exporting of butter when the refrigerated export became feasible from Australia and New Zealand in the 1880s. The butter was exported in 56 lb slabs, and kahikatea became less common as the export industry grew. It was this practice which all but eliminated kahikatea-dominated swamp forest from the North Island and northern South Island. When treated it was used for scaffold planks, weatherboards, fascia boards, mouldings, window sashes, feature panelling and in boat building. For Maori, the kahikatea had many uses. The fleshy aril or koroi was an important food resource and was served at feasts in great amounts. The constructed the waka (canoe) with it. Soot obtained from burning the heartwood supplied a pigment for traditional tattooing (ta moko). The wood was also favoured for making bird spears. Nowadays Kahikatea along with other tree species in privately owned forests can only be harvested under a permit system and only if sustainable harvesting techniques are used.

Spinifex sericeus, kowhangatara, or silvery sand grass is indigenous, and is commonly found throughout New Zealand. It is also present in Australia. It is the most important native sand-binding grass in New Zealand, and favours dunes immediately behind the beach. It can tolerate high winds, salt spray and shifting sands. Its does not tolerate stable dune systems, and does not compete well with other introduced dune plants. The male and female flowers are produced from September to December on separate plants, and the distinctive spiky heads are produced by the female plant from November to May. Once autumn nears the spiky seed heads of Spinifex grass, powered by wind, roll along the beach until it gets trapped. Then the fine sand submerges the seed balls, which then releases its seeds to restart the cycle of growth and dispersion.  If the heads are trapped where they become saturated by the tide they break up and these bits are then carried to other suitable areas to germinate. The seeds grow into perennial grass that has greyish-green coloured leaves, covered with dense hairs that make them look silvery. It is a creeping and rooting grass up to 60cm tall with tufts of leaves arising from creeping undrground stems (rhizomes) that grow into multiple metres long runners with buds developing into new male and female plants that bloom during spring and early summer. It is very hardy, and is best grown in sand. This indigenous sand binding grass is an important place in giving some stability to foreshore dunes on windswept beaches and prevents dunes from moving inland. Dunes naturally take the role of shore protectors in both directions, from the incoming surf of the sea and filtering the water coming from wetlands that are close to the shore. The shorebirds like Caspian terns, the threatened dotterels, oystercatchers, gulls, insects and reptiles these dunes are their home and breeding ground.     

Linum monogynum, rauhuia, NZ true flax or NZ linen flax is endemic to the North, South, Stewart and Chatham Islands. It is often abundant in rocky places and dunes along sea coasts and sometimes inland in low mountain regions up to 600m asl. It forms a small bush that can grow to 40-50cm in height, that when left unpruned tends to be a quite lax as its upper branches are quite fine and slender. It has very attractive bright green or almost glaucous leaves that are quite soft, and if the bush is pruned and shaped regularly it can form a lovely open bush. Its white flowers are the main feature of the plant, and they appear on the plant from spring through to early autumn. Plants can be relatively short lived but they self-seed quite readily so their is no shortage of replacements. It is very tolerant of dry situations but will be a more luxuriant plant if planted in good free-draining soils. It doesn't like damp sites and in the shade the plant will have a more open habit. It is a fantastic addition to any garden and is great for filling gaps in borders and for on banks. Linum monogynum is related to L. usitatissimum, the bast fibre of which is used to produce linen and the seeds to produce linseed oil.

Carex buchananii or Buchanans sedge is endemic to the North and South Islands. In the North Island it is uncommon, and known there only from scattered sites south of the Manawatu. In the South Island it is more widespread, though often sporadically distributed and at times locally common down the eastern side, but rare in Southland and apparently absent from Westland and Fiordland. It is naturalised in Auckland City, and recorded as naturalised in the United Kingdom. It grows from coastal to montane areas (up to 1000 m a.s.l.). On beaches, lagoon, lake and stream margins, or in damp ground within open forest or short tussock grassland. This rather densely tufted species that grows from 50-75cm tall has a reddish brown colour, and generally has a rather stiff and erect habit. In addition to its growth habit, it is usually recognised by the fine tips of the leaves being bleached and a very distinctively curled. Will tolerate most conditions, but does best in full sun in a permanently damp soil. In ideal conditions this species often naturalises, and it can at times become invasive. It is a great plant for the garden and in landscape architecture due to its erect habit, although older plants leaves can become more widespread.

 Carex comans or Longwood tussock is endemic to the North, South and Stewart Islands, but is absent from Fiordland. It is usually found in coastal to subalpine regions, from sea-level to 1200m asl in damp pasture, damp places in tussock grassland, on river flats, and in free draining soils either in the open or under scrub or tall forest in relatively open sparsely vegetated situations. In Southland it is variously known as Longwood tussock or Tokanui tussock. It often naturalises in urban areas. A densely tufted, very leafy species that grows to 30-40cm tall with long flaccid red, yellow-green, or lime-green leaves that have distinctively curls tips. It flowers and produces seed at various times during the year. Once a year it should be groomed to keep it tidy, by combing out the dead growth and old seed heads. Great as a border plant in a garden or in mass on a bank. There are a number of differing forms that vary in colouration.