Kingdom: Plantae
(Unranked): Angiosperms
(Unranked): Eudicots
(Unranked): Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Apiaceae
Genus: Lilaeopsis
Species: Lilaeopsis novae-zelandiae
Synonyms: Lilaeopsis lacustris, Lilaeopsis orbicularis,
Common name: Zelandiae, Zelandiae chain sword.
Lilaeopsis novae-zelandiae is a New Zealand coastal grass like salt tolerant plant associated with brackish habitats as it is not fussy about water quality or light. It grows throughout New Zealand in brackish areas like the margins of Lake Ellesmere, Waimamaku River estuary, a small pond in the sand hills near Riverton and is also found on the Chatham Islands. This small spear shaped grass-like plant with sometimes a tangled mass of foliage grows up to 10cm tall and is used as ground cover at the front of aquariums. It reproduces vegetatively from runners or by rhizomes.
This photo is of Lilaeopsis brasiliensis, a Brazilian species often mistaken for the NZ native.
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
