Family: Anthericaceae (one of the lily families)

Status:

Description:
A tufted grass-like perennial herb, to 60cm high. Leaves are grass-like, and may be solid green, although the variegated form with pale green and white longitudinal stripes is more common. Flowers are white with six petals, in branching heads. Small plantlets are produced at the tips of the flowering branches. When the branches bend over and the plantlets come into contact with the soil they take root.

Preferred habitat and impacts:
Occasionally found naturalised near towns, as a result of dumping of garden waste in accessible spots. Individual clumps can spread quite extensively, excluding native plants.

Dispersal:
Dumping, vegetative spread by plantlets leading to gradually increasing clump size.

Look-alikes
No very similar plants, particularly of the variegated form.

Control
Do not dump garden waste. This plant is unlikely to spread into native vegetation without such assistance. Plants can be dug and burnt or deeply buried to prevent them re-sprouting, or sprayed.