Phylogeny of New Zealand Plants

..... depicting the evolution and classification of the New Zealand flora.

New Zealand was once part of the ancient landmass, Gondwana, but has been isolated by the southern oceans for the last 80 million years. It is an island archipelago that straddles latitudinal zones from the subantarctic to subtopics. Shifting sea levels, the uplift of high mountain ranges, glaciation, volcanism, and extensive braided river systems have all sculpted the New Zealand landscape in recent geologic time. Partly because of its geographical isolation and the environmental diversity, the flora is diverse and largely endemic. While some members of the flora trace their ancestry back to the age of dinosaurs, most have only recently arrived in New Zealand by long distance dispersal. Large genera such as Aciphylla, Celmisia, Coprosma, and Hebe have diversified from small founder populations and have rapidly radiated into a variety of habitats. This web site is based largely upon recent publications and attempts to depict the phylogenetic relationships of New Zealand plants.

Click here to begin exploring the trees... Hyperlinks at the tips of the trees lead to trees that portray a more detailed account of relationships, whereas those at the base of the tree provide a generalized overview. The icon is a link to the New Zealand Plant Names database, which provides information about the taxonomy and distribution of New Zealand Plants.