Cook Pines (Araucaria columnari)

Over less than 20000 km2 there are more than 3380 indigenous species and it is believed that there should be 200 to 300 species remaining to discover. More than 80 % of all species are endemic and it is same for 16% of the genus.

With 44 species belonging to 5 genus, it is the tropical country having the highest concentration of species in the the Gymnosperms group. Botanist Maurice Schmid wrote that on the 19 araucarias species known in the world, 13 are from New Caledonia, in particular the famous "pin colonnaire" (Araucaria columnaris), symbolic tree which adornates the South shores and which makes the Isle of Pines so characteristic. From the 44 species of Gymnosperm in New Caledonia, 43 are endemic. New Caledonia has the unique parasite Gymnosperm known in the world (Falcatifolium taxoides). New Caledonia is one of the five regions in the world where still grows genus Nothofagus (the Gondwana beech tree ) with 5 species.

For palm trees New Caledonia is not less extraordinary with 37 endemic species recorded belonging to 16 genus, 15 of them occurring only in New Caledonia (in particular the unique Pritchardiopsis jennencyi which has long been thought to have been extinct and from which one only adult tree is known).

New Caledonia, has among these living fossils, one of the oldest flower plant, Amborella, which is more then one hundred thirty million year old (source : Endemia).

Do you know that New Caledonia has the tallest fern trees in the world?

The tallest is Cyathea intermedia. It reaches a height of 30 m. It is the tallest in the world.

Forest and bush

This flora makes vast, exceptionally beautiful rain forests in New Caledonia mountains.

The "massifs miniers" which brake records in endemism have, in addition to the forests a bush of, often elegant, shrubs with peculiar vivid flowers.

There is also a beautiful shore forest with trees of dense and dark foliage providing cool shade. But it suffers from urban development and even in parks and promenades from the higher priority given to banal coconut trees.

The dry forest (sclerophyl), is also a very endemic ecosystem (329 species over 456) but is gravely threatened.

Grevillea gillivrayi, picture : Jean-Louis Ruiz

With its unique species New Caledonian flora has a medical potential of great interest. It is being evaluated through researches carried-out by IRD and private laboratories. It is far from being complete.

People of New Caledonia are still little sensitive to the
beauty, uniqueness and interest of their flora. However Melanesian people
know in particular its medical interest through their tradition. Indigenous plants are unfortunately absent, or in minority, in gardens
and in particular in squares and public promenades where more ordinary
species, often introduced, are grown. Yet there is a local know-how for
reintroducing and growing indigenous species for rehabilitation of the
old mines areas.

See some typical specimens : trees, flowers.

Threats

Bushfires, clearings, urban growth and other human activities threaten the unique New Caledonian flora. In particular only 1% of the original of dry forest remains (source : official website on the dry forest). However, the New Caledonia government has taken interest in this unique wealth by fighting bushfires, creating reserves and parks and supporting studies and safeguard operation. Another threat is the illegal or even official introduction of foreign species which can have even more dangerous consequences on the endemic flora. Not well armed for competing against modern species it can be overcome by them. For instance the Caribean pine (Pinus caribaea var Hondurensis), officially introduced in 1959, spreads in the endemic bush of the South where it was planted without real success as a timber. A study carried-out in 1995-1996 shows that this lowers the endemic species diversity .