Plant Biosystematics
Introduction
Plant biosystematics. Rata
New Zealand has a unique and diverse indigenous flora and an ever-increasing introduced flora. This programme will increase knowledge and understanding of the biosystematics of both floras by applying a wide range of taxonomic techniques including the newer methodologies of cladistics and molecular biology. Relationships between species, genera, and families will be clarified. This will lead to improved classification essential for the effective use, management, and protection of our flora. New keys and descriptions will provide accurate identification and allow reliable access to information. Better knowledge of seeds, anatomy, and chromosome numbers produced by this programme will provide tools useful in other research areas such as vegetation history, archaeology, and forensic science. Plant biosystematic information is published in Flora of New Zealand volumes, monographs, and research papers, which support agencies working with poisonous plants, weeds, conservation, forensics, and biological research. Plant collections and supporting databases provide an underlying basis of knowledge of New Zealand's flora, thereby contributing to both research and an understanding of biological diversity and the sustainability of New Zealand's ecosystem processes. Staff contacts
See also plant research projects at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
Research areas
- Ethnobotany
Primary contact: Sue Scheele
Research on native plants and their cultural use by Māori, especially for weaving. - Floras and Guides
Primary contact: Aaron Wilton
Floras and related guides are like an encyclopaedia for the plants around us. They provide a definitive guide for identifying and describing plants. Research in this area will result in new Floras and guides for the New Zealand flora. - Naturalisations
Primary contact: Peter Heenan
The New Zealand flora comprises indigenous and naturalised species. Research on the taxonomy and nomenclature of naturalised species is undertaken. - Origin, speciation & diversification of NZ plants
Primary contact: Ilse Breitwieser
This research looks at the pattern of relationships between a common ancestor and its descendants. A phylogeny looks at the pattern of relationships between a common ancestor and its descendants, which provides a framework to understand evolutionary processes of diversification, dispersal and extinction. - Revisions
Primary contact: Ilse Breitwieser
New Zealand’s flora is still not fully understood. Research in this area aims to comprehensively investigate a number of problematic genera. - Smaller taxonomic issues
Primary contact: Ilse Breitwieser
It is estimated that between 15 and 20% of the vascular plant flora of New Zealand remains unnamed. Research in this area focuses on taxa in genera with smaller or more easily defined taxonomic issues that can be resolved without having to undertake a major study of the whole genus.
Tools & Services
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Allan Herbarium loan services
The Allan Herbarium operates a loan programme to bona fide researchers. -
Botanical bibliographies
This page provides references for biographical information of New Zealand Botanists sorted alphabetically by surname. -
Botanical surveys
Field surveys to assess the floristic diversity of an area. -
Flora of New Zealand series – electronic version
Online access to the Flora series describing New Zealand´s unique flora. -
Flora of New Zelaland series – print version
This Flora series describes New Zealand´s unique flora. It is available from Manaaki Whenua Press. -
Key to weedy daisies of the South Pacific
The key includes 43 species of weeds and two species of indigenous Asteraceae from the South Pacific Region. The weedy species have been chosen on the basis of their invasive potential. -
Ngā Tipu Aotearoa – New Zealand Plants
Provides the names of plant taxa that are wild in New Zealand. Includes seed plants, ferns, mosses, liverworts, freshwater algae and lichens -
NZGrass Key – interactive key to the grasses of NZ
This key is illustrated with over 1400 images and is connected by hyperlinks at the species level to the digitised version of the Grass Flora, NZ Plant Conservation Network and Ngā Tipu o Aotearoa – New Zealand Plants (a database derived from the New Zealand Plant Names database and the Allan Herbarium Specimen database). -
Phylogeny of New Zealand plants
This work looks at the pattern of relationships between a common ancestor and its descendants. A phylogeny provides a framework to understand evolutionary Phylogeny looks at the pattern of relationships between a common ancestor and its descendants, which provides a framework to understand evolutionary processes of diversification, dispersal and extinction. -
Plant identification and information service
Landcare Research offers a range of information services for plants. -
Plant identification workshops
These annual 2–day plant identification workshops teach the basics of flowering plant identification, with an emphasis on the New Zealand adventive flora.
Primary contact
 | Ilse Breitwieser Email  |
Landcare Research | |
Phone: 03 321 9999 |