PLANT ID

Got it 👍 — here’s the same master study list written out in bullet points per species (no table), so you can copy and paste directly into a Word/Google Doc without formatting issues.

🌿 Ferns

Cyathea dealbata (ponga, silver fern)

• Clade: Fern

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: N/A (fronds)

• Leaf margin: N/A

• Key ID traits: Silver underside of fronds, tall tree fern

• Distribution: NZ-wide, especially North Island

• Forest position: Understory

• Tree fern. Leaves distinctly silver/white underside. Peg-like stipe bases held on trunk

Dicksonia squarrosa (wheki)

• Clade: Fern

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: N/A (fronds)

• Leaf margin: N/A

• Key ID traits: Black fibrous trunk, arching fronds

• Distribution: NZ-wide

• Forest position: Damp gullies, understory

🌲 Gymnosperms

Agathis australis (kauri)

• Clade: Gymnosperm

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Opposite

• Leaf margin: Entire

• Key ID traits: Massive trunk, smooth flaky bark, leathery leaves

• Distribution: Northland–Waikato

• Forest position: Emergent canopy

Dacrycarpus dacrydioides (kahikatea)

• Clade: Gymnosperm

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Alternate

• Leaf margin: Entire

• Key ID traits: Tallest tree, small scale-like leaves, swamp habitats

• Distribution: Both islands

• Forest position: Emergent canopy

Dacrydium cupressinum (rimu)

• Clade: Gymnosperm

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Alternate

• Leaf margin: Entire

• Key ID traits: Drooping foliage, reddish flaky bark

• Distribution: Both islands

• Forest position: Canopy or subcanopy

Podocarpus totara (tōtara)

• Clade: Gymnosperm

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Alternate

• Leaf margin: Entire

• Key ID traits: Sharp spiky juvenile leaves, red flaky bark

• Distribution: Both islands

• Forest position: Canopy

Prumnopitys ferruginea (miro)

• Clade: Gymnosperm

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Alternate

• Leaf margin: Entire

• Key ID traits: Narrow dark green leaves, red fleshy seeds

• Distribution: Both islands

• Forest position: Canopy or subcanopy

Prumnopitys taxifolia (mataī)

• Clade: Gymnosperm

• Divaricate: Juvenile stage divaricate

• Leaf arrangement: Alternate

• Leaf margin: Entire

• Key ID traits: Juvenile tangled leaves, adult narrow leaves

• Distribution: Both islands

• Forest position: Canopy

Phyllocladus trichomanoides (tanekaha)

• Clade: Gymnosperm

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Alternate (phylloclades)

• Leaf margin: Entire

• Key ID traits: Flattened phylloclades instead of leaves

• Distribution: Northern North Island

• Forest position: Canopy or subcanopy

🌸 Magnoliids

Beilschmiedia tawa (tawa)

• Clade: Magnoliid

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Alternate

• Leaf margin: Entire

• Key ID traits: Glossy green leaves, purple fruit

• Distribution: North Island

• Forest position: Canopy

Hedycarya arborea (pigeonwood, porokaiwhiri)

• Clade: Magnoliid

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Opposite

• Leaf margin: Entire

• Key ID traits: Opposite leaves, orange fruit eaten by kererū

• Distribution: Both islands

• Forest position: Subcanopy

Laurelia novae-zelandiae (pukatea)

• Clade: Magnoliid

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Opposite

• Leaf margin: Serrated

• Key ID traits: Buttressed roots, glossy serrated leaves

• Distribution: NI and northern SI

• Forest position: Canopy in swamp forest

Piper excelsum (kawakawa)

• Clade: Magnoliid

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Opposite

• Leaf margin: Entire

• Key ID traits: Heart-shaped aromatic leaves, insect holes common

• Distribution: NI and SI (coastal)

• Forest position: Understory

🌳 Eudicotyledons

Knightia excelsa (rewarewa, NZ honeysuckle)

• Clade: Eudicot

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Alternate

• Leaf margin: Serrated

• Key ID traits: Long serrated leaves, red bottlebrush flowers

• Distribution: North Island

• Forest position: Canopy or subcanopy

Aristotelia serrata (makomako, wineberry)

• Clade: Eudicot

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Opposite

• Leaf margin: Serrated

• Key ID traits: Thin serrated leaves, red flush on young growth

• Distribution: NZ-wide

• Forest position: Forest edge, early successional

Weinmannia racemosa (kāmahi)

• Clade: Eudicot

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Opposite

• Leaf margin: Serrated

• Key ID traits: Serrated leaves, white raceme flowers

• Distribution: Both islands

• Forest position: Subcanopy

Melicytus ramiflorus (māhoe)

• Clade: Eudicot

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Alternate

• Leaf margin: Entire

• Key ID traits: Pale bark, pale undersides of leaves

• Distribution: NZ-wide

• Forest position: Subcanopy

Sophora tetraptera (kōwhai)

• Clade: Eudicot

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Alternate, pinnate

• Leaf margin: Entire

• Key ID traits: Bright yellow flowers, pinnate compound leaves

• Distribution: Mainly North Island

• Forest position: Forest edges, river margins

Lophozonia menziesii (silver beech)

• Clade: Eudicot

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Alternate

• Leaf margin: Serrated

• Key ID traits: Small rounded leaves with blunt teeth

• Distribution: South Island montane–alpine

• Forest position: Canopy

Kunzea ericoides (kānuka)

• Clade: Eudicot

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Alternate

• Leaf margin: Entire

• Key ID traits: Tiny soft leaves, flaky bark

• Distribution: NZ-wide

• Forest position: Early successional, forest edge

Leptospermum scoparium (mānuka)

• Clade: Eudicot

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Alternate

• Leaf margin: Entire

• Key ID traits: Small prickly leaves, white/pink flowers

• Distribution: NZ-wide

• Forest position: Shrubland, early succession

Alectryon excelsus (tītoki)

• Clade: Eudicot

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Alternate, pinnate

• Leaf margin: Entire

• Key ID traits: Glossy pinnate leaves, red fruit with black seeds

• Distribution: NI, north SI

• Forest position: Subcanopy

Didymocheton spectabilis (kohekohe)

• Clade: Eudicot

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Opposite, pinnate

• Leaf margin: Entire

• Key ID traits: Glossy pinnate leaves, trunk-borne flowers

• Distribution: North Island

• Forest position: Subcanopy

Myrsine australis (red mapou, red matipo)

• Clade: Eudicot

• Divaricate: Semi-divaricate (juvenile)

• Leaf arrangement: Alternate

• Leaf margin: Entire

• Key ID traits: Red stems, small leathery leaves

• Distribution: NZ-wide

• Forest position: Subcanopy or understory

Coprosma robusta (karamū)

• Clade: Eudicot

• Divaricate: Semi-divaricate

• Leaf arrangement: Opposite

• Leaf margin: Entire

• Key ID traits: Glossy leaves, large orange berries

• Distribution: NZ-wide

• Forest position: Shrub, forest margin

Coprosma rhamnoides (twiggy coprosma)

• Clade: Eudicot

• Divaricate: Yes

• Leaf arrangement: Opposite

• Leaf margin: Entire

• Key ID traits: Tiny tangled leaves, twiggy form

• Distribution: NZ-wide

• Forest position: Shrub, forest edge

Pittosporum eugenioides (tarata, lemonwood)

• Clade: Eudicot

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Alternate

• Leaf margin: Serrated (wavy, fine teeth)

• Key ID traits: Lemon-scented wavy leaves

• Distribution: NZ-wide

• Forest position: Subcanopy

Pseudopanax arboreus (five finger, whauwhaupaku)

• Clade: Eudicot

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Alternate

• Leaf margin: Serrated

• Key ID traits: Palmately compound 5-fingered leaves

• Distribution: NZ-wide

• Forest position: Subcanopy or understory

Pennantia corymbosa (kaikōmako)

• Clade: Eudicot

• Divaricate: Juvenile stage divaricate

• Leaf arrangement: Alternate

• Leaf margin: Entire to finely serrated

• Key ID traits: Juvenile tangled form, adult larger leaves

• Distribution: NZ-wide

• Forest position: Subcanopy

Griselinia littoralis (broadleaf, kāpuka)

• Clade: Eudicot

• Divaricate: No

• Leaf arrangement: Opposite

• Leaf margin: Entire

• Key ID traits: Thick glossy broad leaves

• Distribution: NZ-wide, especially coastal

• Forest position: Subcanopy