The jersey fern (Anogramma leptophylla) is officially listed as a gradually declining species. A small parsley-leaved annual fern, it grows in the winter and dies back in November. Growing to only 3 inches in height it is generally found growing on rock ledges. Because A. leptophylla has a shallow root system it can't compete with weeds and other vegetation. It is against the law in New Zealand to collect or otherwise disturb the jersey fern.
Listed as nationally critical, the helmet orchid (Anzybas carsei) is only 1-inch tall when it is in bloom, in mid-to-late spring. The leaves are very small, about the size of a fingernail. At one time the helmet orchid grew in bogs, today, the government of New Zealand knows of only one site where the plant is growing. Decline of the helmet orchid is blamed on the draining of wetlands and overharvesting by plant collectors.
There is a parrot in New Zealand known as the kaka. The striking red flowers of the kakabeak (Clianthus puniceus) resemble the beak of the parrot, thus the plant's common name. Kakabeak is a shrub that is native to New Zealand's North Island. In bloom from spring through summer, kakabeak is becoming more common in residential landscapes although in the wild it is considered endangered. Around 200 plants remain in the wild, according to the IUCN Redlist of Threatened Species. Although kakabeak's more recent decline is traced to plant collectors, overgrazing by goats, pigs and wildlife also have contributed.
