Habitat: bank, clay, cliff, coast, dry, grassland, lava, loam, lowland, moist, open, pasture, roadside, rock outcrop, sand, scrubland, shaded, sheltered, shrubland, slope, stone, terrace, track, wasteland

Dispersal: Garden discard, seed, vegetative

Distribution from the Australasian Virtual Herbarium. CC-BY 3.0 AU
Distribution from the Australasian Virtual Herbarium. CC-BY 3.0 AU
 Recognition
  • a low growing herbaceous plant that forms dense long-lived clumps and has thick roots .
  • its leaves are dark, glossy green, strongly divided or dissected, and with a toothed margin.
  • its flowering stems are up to 120 cm high and have conspicuous purplish bracts 3-4 cm long above each flower.
  • the flowers are 4-5.5 cm long, whitish or pale pink, with purple or brown veins. its fruit are 3-4 cm long, obovoid and shiny.
 Images
Image: Trevor James © Trevor James
Image: Trevor James © Trevor James
Image: Trevor James © Trevor James
Image: Trevor James © Trevor James
Image: Trevor James © Trevor James
Image: Trevor James © Trevor James
Weeds Key – interactive key to the weed species of New Zealand
 References
Biosecurity New Zealand 2012: Regional Pest Management Strategies Database. http://www.biosecurityperformance.maf.govt.nz/
Howell, C. 2008: Consolidated list of environmental weeds in New Zealand. DOC Research & Development Series 292: 42.