Habitat: bank, clay, cliff, coast, dry, gravel, gully, hill, lowland, margin, open, pasture, riverbed, roadside, rock outcrop, sand, shaded, sheltered, shrubland, silt, slope, stone, terrace, track, wasteland

Dispersal: Seed

 Recognition
  • an upright and short-lived, or more commonly long-lived, herbaceous plant growing up to 2 m tall.
  • its much-branched stems are mostly hairless with fine ridges running lengthwise.
  • its stem-clasping leaves (3-15 cm long) have sharply-toothed margins and resemble holly leaves.
  • its daisy-like flower-heads have 12-22 pink or purple 'petals' surrounding a yellow centre.
  • its brown 'seeds' (2-2.5 mm long) are initially topped by a ring of whitish hairs 7-9 mm long.

[From: Environmental Weeds of Australia]

 References
Biosecurity New Zealand 2012: Regional Pest Management Strategies Database. http://www.biosecurityperformance.maf.govt.nz/