Editing Southern Alps (section)

==Flora==
{{main|Southland montane grasslands}}
The mountains are rich in flora with about 25% of the country's plant species being found above the treeline in [[alpine plant]] habitats and grassland with [[mountain beech]] forest at lower elevations (of the eastern side but not in [[Westland District|Westland]]). The cold windswept slopes above the treeline are covered with areas of [[fellfield]]. To the east, the Alps descend to the [[Canterbury-Otago tussock grasslands]]. Plants adapted to the alpine conditions include woody shrubs like ''[[Hebe (plant)|Hebe]]'', ''[[Dracophyllum]]'', and ''[[Coprosma]]'', the conifer [[Podocarpus nivalis|snow totara]] ''(Podocarpus nivalis)'' and ''[[Carex]]'' sedge grasses.<ref>{{WWF ecoregion|id=aa1003|name=South Island montane grasslands}}</ref>