Included here is New Caledonia, an archipelago located in the Western Pacific Ocean which includes the Loyalty Islands and the Isle of Pines.

Neocaledonian Upland Maquis

Virtually confined to ultrabasic soils, maquis is often characterized by species of Grevillea and Hibbertia (Dilleniaceae) such as the endemic Hibbertia baudovinii. The species composition of associated taxa varies from place to place, but may include Callistomom pancheri, the endemic Soulamea muelleri (Simaroubaceae) and various species of Gardenia and Myrtopsis. There is also a distinctive upland maquis with a prostate form of Baeckia ericoides often representing the dominant species, and on the southern massif, species such as Greslania montana and Xeronema moorei and confined to upland maquis. On the Massif de Koniambo a somewhat different type of maquis occurs in which Tristania guillainii is the dominant species. Other characteristic species include the endemic Styphelia balansae and S. macrocarpa (Epacridaceae) and species of Guioa (Sapindaceae) such as the endemic Guioa fusca.

References

Compton, R. H. 1917. New Caledonia and the Isle of Pines. The Geographical Journal, 49: 81-106.

Good, R. 1950. Madagascar and New Caledonia - a problem in plant geography. Blumea, 6: 470-490.

Heads, M. 2008. Panbiogeography of New Caledonia, southwest Pacific: basal angiosperms on basement terrains, ultramafic endemics inherited from volcanic island arcs and old taxa endemics to young islands. Journal of Biogeography, 35: 2153-2175.

Jaffré, T., Bouchet, P. & Veillon, J. 1998. Threatened plants of New Caledonia: is the system of protected areas adequate? Biodiversity and Conservation, 7: 109-135.

Ladiges, P. Y. 2008. Synthesizing biotic patterns and geology for New Caledonia (Commentary). Journal of Biogeography, 35: 2151-2152.

Morat, P., Jaffre, T. & Veillon, J. 2001. The flora of New Caledonia’s calcareous substrates. Adansonia, ser 3, 23: 109-127.

Mueller-Dombois, D. & Fosberg, F. R. 1998. Vegetation of the Tropical Pacific Islands. Springer.

Proctor, J. 2003. Vegetation and soil and plant chemistry on ultramafic rocks in the tropical Far East. Perspective in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, 6: 105-124.

Specht, R. L. 1979. “Maquis” vegetation of New Caledonia. In: Ecoystems of the World (9A) – heathlands and related shrublands: descriptive studies. Ed. R. L. Specht. Elsevier Science.

Thorne, R. F. 1965. Floristic relationships of New Caledonia. University of Iowa Studies in Natural History, 20: 1-14.