Botany

Identification Guide to the Ferns and Lycophytes of Aotearoa New Zealand

The definitive visual guide for anyone wanting to understand, identify and distinguish 201 of the most commonly encountered species of ferns and lycophytes found across Aotearoa. 

Nancy Adams: Botanist and artist

Nancy Adams (1926–2007) was one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most notable botanists and a talented artist. One of Te Papa’s most prolific botany collectors of all time, she also painted and drew an incredible number of botanical illustrations. She used her artwork to produce important books about Aotearoa New Zealand’s flora, including seaweeds, flowers, trees, and alpine plants.

Orchids in Aotearoa New Zealand

There are over 100 species of orchids in Aotearoa New Zealand and come in a variety of shapes, colours, and dimensions. They thrive in diverse habitats across the country. Take a look at Te Papa's research and work with orchids as well as highlights from our collections.

Ferns in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific

Ferns are so prominent in Aotearoa New Zealand, we even wear them on our sporting uniforms. From botany research to citizen science, pressed-fern books of the 1800s to collecting All Blacks and tourism memorabilia, our collectors and curators spend a lot of time with ferns.

A watery wonderland

As a group of plants, macro-algae (or seaweeds) are little known and are often disregarded, but not by Nancy Adams.

Of the 3322 specimens she collected for Te Papa’s herbarium, over two thirds – 2285 – are algae.

Seaweed sisters

Aotearoa New Zealand’s extensive coastline is home to hugely diverse and luxuriant seaweed flora. Over the last 100 years, a significant number of women have contributed to the study of our macro-algae and showed a passion for the botanical world from an early age.

Te Papa’s botanical specimen data now on GBIF

Where can you find harakeke outside Aotearoa New Zealand? What species of forget-me-not live on Banks Peninsula? Answering these questions is now a lot easier because our herbarium’s botanical specimen data have been released on the world’s biggest database of living things, GBIF.

Speargrasses – a spiky specimen spree

In 2022-23, Te Papa Research Scientist Lara Shepherd and Botany Curator Leon Perrie embarked on a project with Manaaki Whenua’s David Glenny to re-assess the number of species of speargrass in Aotearoa New Zealand. The ferociously spiky speargrasses are some of our most distinctive plants and an iconic feature of New Zealand’s high country, especially when flowering. Read their blogs to find out about their discoveries, how to collect the pointy fauna safely, and other specimens they met along the way.

Blogs about forget-me-nots (Myosotis)

Read about some of her findings and challenges our Botany Curators find while researching and collecting native New Zealand forget-me-nots.

Listen: The Politics of Collecting – from Banks and Solander to Today

Hear botanists and researchers discuss the shifting politics of collecting and classifying plants, from both Māori and Pākehā perspectives.