There are only a relatively small number of gymnosperms present today. However, pines are not native to New Zealand. Early settlers calles the New Zealand conifers 'pines' because their evergreen habit and small leaves reminded them of pines. In fact, these so-called pines are members of other conifer genera. Dacrycarpus dacrydioides .
Some gymnosperms are among the tallest, largest and oldest organisms in the world.
In the White Mountains of eastern California are the oldest living trees, the Bristlecone pine, Pinus longavera . New Zealand too has some very large and old trees. This particular tree is popularly known as 'Tana Mahuta' or 'God of the Forest'. The first written records about kauri trees were by French explorers of New Zealand in 1772. However, botanists refer to this period as the Age of the Cycads, as this was a period where cycads and early members of the conifers once dominated the vegetation.