Habitat: alpine, bank, clay, coast, dry, forest, grassland, gravel, hill, margin, moist, montane, open, pasture, peat, ridge, roadside, rock outcrop, sand, shrubland, slope, stone, terrace, track, tussockland, wasteland

Dispersal: Seed

Distribution from the Australasian Virtual Herbarium. CC-BY 3.0 AU
Distribution from the Australasian Virtual Herbarium. CC-BY 3.0 AU
 Recognition
  • a small shrubby plant usually growing less than 50 cm tall.
  • its tiny scale-like leaves are arranged in four vertical rows along the branches.
  • its pink or pale purple, bell-shaped, flowers have four petals that are joined together at the base.
  • its tiny round capsules are hairy and have four compartments.

[From: Environmental Weeds of Australia]

 Images
Image: P.B. Heenan © Landcare Research 2012
Image: P.B. Heenan © Landcare Research 2012
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/
Biosecurity New Zealand 2008: National Plant Pest Accord. MAF Biosecurity New Zealand, Wellington.
Howell, C. 2008: Consolidated list of environmental weeds in New Zealand. DOC Research & Development Series 292: 42.
Ministry for Primary Industries 23 Feb 2017: Unwanted Organisms Register. Version 02.01.02. https://www1.maf.govt.nz/uor