Vegetation and climate of the New Zealand Jurassic

Abstract

New Zealand's Jurassic plant fossils are known from non-marine settings in two terranes: the Murihiku forearc basin and from a small area on the Rakaia Terrane, an accretionary prism. These terranes lay in relatively high latitudes along the Gondwana margin but their precise location, latitude and position with respect to each other is unclear. The flora was dominated by conifers, ferns, bennettitaleans, pentoxylaleans and locally equisetaleans, but it is relatively depauperate, perhaps reflecting a high latitude position. Most climate indicators suggest a warm temperate climate with rainfall that was not especially high and that might have been seasonal at times. Revision of the New Zealand Jurassic flora is overdue, and while new genera may be discovered, species numbers may well decrease.