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Donatia novae-zelandiae
Donatia novae-zelandiae is a species of mat-forming cushion plant, found only in New Zealand and Tasmania. Common names can include New Zealand cushion or snow cushion, however snow cushion also refers to Iberis sempervirens. Donatia novae-zelandiae forms dense spirals of thick, leathery leaves, creating a hardy plant that typically exists in alpine and subalpine bioclimatic zones.
Donatia novae-zelandiae is one of two species in the genus Donatia, which is the only genus in the family Donatiaceae.
The species likely originated in Tasmania during the Pliocene and Pleistocene eras, when major Australian and New Zealand mountain ranges formed. This created subsequent glaciation and cooling temperatures, leading to the creation of modern alpine and sub-alpine environments. A long-distance dispersal event, likely aided by Antarctica brought Donatia novae-zelandiae, along with Stylidiaceae species to New Zealand, where they were pre-adapted for alpine and sub-alpine growth.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Donatia novae-zelandiae by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
