Endemic flora of the Three Kings Islands

Of the 199 plant taxa found on the Three Kings Islands, an archipelago north-west of New Zealand, 177 are native to New Zealand and only a fraction are endemic. The islands have likely been isolated from the mainland since the early Tertiary period and so the flora has been driven by allopatric speciation. Of note is that all of the vascular endemics are woody, other than the sedge Carex elingamita and the fern Davallia tasmanii subsp. tasmanii. In addition, the Three Kings Islands are regarded as a hotspot for seaweed endemism.
The islands: Great Island, South West Island, North East Island, West Island and the Princes Islands, cover a combined area of. The geography is jagged and cliffed with the highest point being. A warm current flows around them, creating a high humidity, misty environment. Before their eradication in 1946, goats depleted the flora to such an extent that two species—Pennantia baylisiana and Tecomanthe speciosa—were reduced to a single plant each. 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.