New Zealand seaweed flora and its relationships

Abstract

The New Zealand botanical region includes New Zealand’s three main islands and the Kermadec, Chatham, Solander, Snares, Bounty, Antipodes, Auckland, Campbell, and Macquarie Islands as well as other minor islands within this region. A short resumé of the history and present knowledge of the seaweed flora is given. Important ocean currents are illustrated. The seaweed (benthic marine algal) flora consists of: Chlorophyceae, 37 genera (3% endemic), 165 species (38 endemic), 3% undescribed (estimate); Phaeophyceae, 75 genera (7% endemic), 146 species (34% endemic), 6% undescribed; Rhodophyceae, 176 genera (4% endemic), 524 species (47% endemic), 7% undescribed. The floristic relationships between the islands within the region are expressed in terms of percentage of marine algal species each island has that is common with other islands (Table 2). The more important distributions of species are given. The external relationships of this region indicate a cosmopolitan, a circumpolar, and an Australasian element. Species shared with South America or Japan, and introductions within recent times, are discussed. © 1985 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.