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Antarctic flora are a distinct community of vascular plants which evolved millions of years ago on the supercontinent of Gondwana. Presently, species of Antarctica flora reside on several now separated areas of the Southern Hemisphere , including southern South America , southernmost Africa , New Zealand , Australia , and New Caledonia .
For the purposes of this category, "Antarctic" is defined as one of the nine "botanical continents" according to the WGSRPD and includes the following subdivisions: Category:Flora of the subantarctic islands — (a WGSRPD region) Category:Flora of Antarctica — (the only area within the WGSRPD region of "Antarctic Continent")
In physical geography, tundra (/ ˈ t ʌ n d r ə, ˈ t ʊ n-/) is a type of biome where tree growth is hindered by frigid temperatures and short growing seasons. There are three regions and associated types of tundra: Arctic, [2] Alpine, [2] and Antarctic.
The Antarctic botanical continent, as defined in the WGSRPD, comprising Antarctica (inside the inner line) and the subantarctic zone (between the lines) For guidance on using flora distribution categories, see WP:PLANTS/Using the WGSRPD .
These islands have a somewhat milder climate than Antarctica proper, and support a greater diversity of tundra plants, although they are all too windy and cold to support trees. Antarctic krill is the keystone species of the ecosystem of the Southern Ocean , and is an important food organism for whales , seals , leopard seals , fur seals ...
Antarctica has around 400 lichen species, plants and fungi living symbiotically. [3] They are highly adapted, and can be divided into three main types; crustose lichens, forming thin crusts on the surface, foliose lichens, forming leaf-like lobes, and fruticose lichens , which grow like shrubs.
Colobanthus quitensis, also known as the Antarctic pearlwort, is one of two native flowering plants found in the Antarctic region, the other being Antarctic hair grass. [2] It has yellow flowers and grows about 5 centimetres (2 inches) tall, giving it a moss -like appearance.
Antarctica's two flowering plant species, the Antarctic hair grass (Deschampsia antarctica) and Antarctic pearlwort (Colobanthus quitensis) are found on the northern and western parts of the Antarctic Peninsula, including offshore islands, where the climate is relatively mild. Lagotellerie Island in Marguerite Bay is an example of this habitat.