Three endemic new species of Cryptocarya R.Br. are described from New Caledonia. Cryptocarya adpressa Munzinger & McPherson, sp. nov., is a small-leaved, pinnately veined species resembling species such as C. leptospermoides Kosterm. and C. gracilis Schltr., but differing most notably in its persistent and strongly appressed indument of the inflorescence. Cryptocarya barrabeae Munzinger & McPherson, sp. nov., resembles C. pluricostata but can be distinguished most easily by its elliptical leaf shape and longer, straighter indument. Cryptocarya chrysea Munzinger & McPherson, sp. nov., resembles C. guillauminii Kosterm. in its ovate, densely and persistently pubescent leaves with ascendant lateral veins, but differs most notably in its prominently lenticellate stems and abaxially golden leaves. All three new species are trees occurring in dense humid forest. Two are restricted to non-ultramafic substrate while C. chrysea, sp. nov., occurs on both substrates. They are all known from at least three protected areas, and do not appear to be threatened; thus they are all assigned a preliminarily Least Concern IUCN status.