Endemic flora of the Three Kings Islands

Of the 199 plant taxa found on the Three Kings Islands, an archipelago 55 km (34 mi) north-west of New Zealand, 177 are native to New Zealand and only a fraction[note 1] are endemic (found nowhere else).[5] The islands have likely been isolated from the mainland since the early Tertiary period and so the flora has been driven by allopatric speciation.[1] Of note is that all of the vascular endemics are woody, other than the sedge Carex elingamita and the fern Davallia tasmanii subsp. tasmanii.[6] In addition, the Three Kings Islands are regarded as a hotspot for seaweed endemism.[7]

The islands: Great Island, South West Island, North East Island, West Island and the Princes Islands, cover a combined area of 6.85 km2 (2.64 sq mi).[8] The geography is jagged and cliffed with the highest point being 280 m (920 ft). A warm current flows around them, creating a high humidity, misty environment.[1] Before their eradication in 1946, the flora was so depleted by goats it lead two species: Pennantia baylisiana and Tecomanthe speciosa to each be reduced to a single plant.[9] As a result, the New Zealand Threat Classification System lists these species as Nationally Critical. Other endemics are given the status Naturally Uncommon or Nationally Vulnerable because of their small geographic range, and their relatively slow recovery.[9]

Vascular plants

Endemic vascular plants of the Three Kings Islands
Scientific name Image Common name(s) Family NZTCS Distribution Ref.
Alectryon excelsus subsp. grandis
(Cheeseman) de Lange et E.K.Cameron, 1999 		Three Kings tītoki Sapindaceae Nationally Vulnerable Great and West Islands [10][11]
Brachyglottis arborescens
W.R.B.Oliv., 1948 		Three Kings rangiora Asteraceae Nationally Vulnerable Great and West Islands [12][13]
Carex elingamita
Hamlin, 1958 		Three Kings sedge Cyperaceae Naturally Uncommon Three Kings Islands [14][15]
Coprosma macrocarpa subsp. macrocarpa
Cheeseman, 		Large-seeded coprosma Rubiaceae Naturally Uncommon Three Kings Islands [16][17]
Davallia tasmanii subsp. tasmanii
Field, 		Davallia, Three Kings davallia Davalliaceae Naturally Uncommon Three Kings Islands [18][19]
Elingamita johnsonii
G.T.S.Baylis, 1951 		Elingamita Primulaceae Naturally Uncommon West Island [20][21]
Kunzea triregensis
de Lange, 2014 		Three Kings kānuka Myrtaceae Naturally Uncommon Three Kings Islands [22][23][24]
Myrsine oliveri
Allan, 1961 		Primulaceae Naturally Uncommon South West, West and Great Islands [25][26]
Paratrophis smithii
Cheeseman, 1888 		Three Kings milk tree Moraceae Naturally Uncommon Three Kings Islands [27][28]
Pittosporum fairchildii
Cheeseman, 1887 		Fairchild’s kōhūhū Pittosporaceae Naturally Uncommon North East, South West, West and Great Islands [29][30]
Pennantia baylisiana
G.T.S.Baylis, 1977 		Kaikōmako manawa tāwhi, Three Kings kaikōmako Pennantiaceae Nationally Critical Great Island [31][32]
Pimelea telura
C.J.Burrows, 2008 		Three Kings pimelea Thymelaeaceae Naturally Uncommon Great Island [33][34][35]
Tecomanthe speciosa
W.R.B.Oliv., 1948 		Tecomanthe, Akapukaea Bignoniaceae Nationally Critical Great Island [36][37]


Veronica insularis
Cheeseman, 1897 		Three Kings koromiko Plantaginaceae Naturally Uncommon North East, South West, West and Great Islands [38][39]


Non-vascular plants

Endemic non-vascular flora of the Three Kings Islands
Scientific name Image Common name(s) Family NZTCS Distribution Ref.
Sargassum johnsonii
Chapman, 1961 		Totara weed Sargassaceae Not Threatened Intertidal and subtidal zones of the Three Kings Islands [40]
Chlidophyllon kaspar
(W.A.Nelson et N.M.Adams) W.A.Nelson, 		Erythrotrichiaceae Not Threatened Three Kings Islands [41][42]


Curdiea balthazar
W.A.Nelson, G.A.Knight et R.Falshaw, 1999 		Gracilariceae Not Threatened Three Kings Islands [43][44]
Adamsiella melchiori
L.E.Phillips & W.A.Nelson, 2002 		Rhodomelaceae Not Threatened Three Kings Islands [45][46]
Skeletonella nelsoniae
Millar & De Clerck, 2007 		Ceramiaceae Not Threatened Three Kings Islands [47][48]


Notes

  1. ^ Of the 13 vascular endemics originally claimed by Watson and Cranwell, only 12 are now recognised to be endemic.[2] Add to this five non-vascular species and two new species from 2008 and 2014[3][4] to get 19.

References

  1. ^ a b c Cranwell & Smith 1962, p. 215.
  2. ^ Wright 1983, p. 176.
  3. ^ Lange, Peter de (2014-08-26). "A revision of the New Zealand Kunzea ericoides (Myrtaceae) complex". PhytoKeys (40): 1–185. Bibcode:2014PhytK..40....1D. doi:10.3897/phytokeys.40.7973. ISSN 1314-2003. PMC 4154306. PMID 25197228.
  4. ^ Burrows, Colin J. (2008). "Genus Pimelea (Thymelaeaceae) in New Zealand 1. The taxonomic treatment of seven endemic, glabrous‐leaved species". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 46 (2): 127–176. doi:10.1080/00288250809509760. ISSN 0028-825X.
  5. ^ Cranwell & Smith 1962, pp. 218–219.
  6. ^ Cranwell & Smith 1962, p. 218.
  7. ^ "Nancy Adams, Wendy Nelson, and the Three Kings' seaweeds". Te Papa’s Blog. 2016-07-19. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
  8. ^ "Data Table - Protected Areas - LINZ Data Service (recorded area 684.7281 ha)". Land Information New Zealand. Archived from the original on 2019-08-27. Retrieved 2019-08-27.
  9. ^ a b Wright 1983, p. 175.
  10. ^ "Alectryon excelsus subsp. grandis". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Archived from the original on 2024-06-30. Retrieved 2025-04-05.
  11. ^ "Alectryon excelsus subsp. grandis". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Archived from the original on 15 December 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  12. ^ "Brachyglottis arborescens". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Archived from the original on 2024-11-19. Retrieved 2025-04-05.
  13. ^ "Brachyglottis arborescens". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  14. ^ "Carex elingamita". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
  15. ^ "Carex elingamita". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  16. ^ "Coprosma macrocarpa subsp. macrocarpa". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Archived from the original on 2024-09-12. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
  17. ^ "Coprosma macrocarpa subsp. macrocarpa". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  18. ^ "Davallia tasmanii subsp. tasmanii". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
  19. ^ "Davallia tasmanii subsp. tasmanii". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  20. ^ "Davallia tasmanii subsp. tasmanii". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Archived from the original on 2024-12-03. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
  21. ^ "Elingamita johnsonii". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Archived from the original on 17 February 2025. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  22. ^ "Kunzea triregensis". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2025-04-07.
  23. ^ "Elingamita johnsonii". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Archived from the original on 30 May 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  24. ^ Lange, Peter de (2014-08-26). "A revision of the New Zealand Kunzea ericoides (Myrtaceae) complex". PhytoKeys (40): 1–185. Bibcode:2014PhytK..40....1D. doi:10.3897/phytokeys.40.7973. ISSN 1314-2003. PMC 4154306. PMID 25197228.
  25. ^ "Pennantia baylisiana". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Archived from the original on 2024-12-03. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
  26. ^ "Pennantia baylisiana". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  27. ^ "Paratrophis smithii". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
  28. ^ "Paratrophis smithii". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  29. ^ "Pittosporum fairchildii". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Archived from the original on 2024-08-05. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
  30. ^ "Pittosporum fairchildii". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  31. ^ "Pennantia baylisiana". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Archived from the original on 2024-12-03. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
  32. ^ "Pennantia baylisiana". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Archived from the original on 1 December 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  33. ^ "Pimelea telura". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Archived from the original on 2024-05-31. Retrieved 2025-04-07.
  34. ^ "Pimelea telura". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Archived from the original on 9 December 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  35. ^ Burrows, Colin J. (2008). "Genus Pimelea (Thymelaeaceae) in New Zealand 1. The taxonomic treatment of seven endemic, glabrous‐leaved species". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 46 (2): 127–176. doi:10.1080/00288250809509760. ISSN 0028-825X.
  36. ^ "Tecomanthe speciosa". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Archived from the original on 2025-01-18. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
  37. ^ "Tecomanthe speciosa". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  38. ^ "Veronica insularis". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
  39. ^ "Veronica insularis". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  40. ^ "Sargassum johnsonii". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
  41. ^ "Chlidophyllon kaspar". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
  42. ^ Nelson, W. A.; Adams, N. M. (1990-01-01). "A New Species of Porphyra (Bangiales, Rhodophyta) from the Three Kings Islands, Northern New Zealand". Botanica Marina. 33 (1): 3–7. Bibcode:1990BoMar..33....3N. doi:10.1515/botm.1990.33.1.3. ISSN 1437-4323.
  43. ^ "Curdiea balthazar". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
  44. ^ Nelson, Wendy A.; Knight, Glenys A.; Falshaw, Ruth (1999). "A new agarophyte, Curdiea balthazar sp. nov. (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta), from the Three Kings Islands, northern New Zealand". In Kain, Joanna M.; Brown, Murray T.; Lahaye, Marc (eds.). Sixteenth International Seaweed Symposium. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands. pp. 57–63. doi:10.1007/978-94-011-4449-0_7. ISBN 978-94-011-4449-0. Archived from the original on 2018-06-17. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
  45. ^ "Adamsiella melchiori". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Archived from the original on 2021-02-28. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
  46. ^ Phillips, Louise E. (2002). "Taxonomy of Adamsiella L.e. Phillips Et W.a. Nelson, Gen. Nov. and Epiglossum Kützing (rhodomelaceae, Ceramiales)". Journal of Phycology. 38 (1): 209–229. Bibcode:2002JPcgy..38..209P. doi:10.1046/j.1529-8817.2002.00159.x. ISSN 1529-8817.
  47. ^ "Skeletonella nelsoniae". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
  48. ^ Millar, Alan J.K.; and De Clerck, Olivier (2007-01-01). "Skeletonella nelsoniae gen. et sp. nov., representing a new tribe of marine macroalgae, the Skeletonelleae (Ceramiaceae, Rhodophyta)". Phycologia. 46 (1): 63–73. Bibcode:2007Phyco..46...63M. doi:10.2216/06-21.1. ISSN 0031-8884.

Bibliography

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