Story: Coastal shoreline

Spinifex (2nd of 3)

Spinifex

The native sand-binding grass spinifex has distinctive runners carrying tufts of floppy grey-green leaves and ball-like seed heads. Spinifex plants are single-sexed, bearing either male or female flowers. This colony is female – apparent from the spiked seed heads among the tufts of leaves. When the wind blows, the seed heads roll along the beach until they become lodged against some obstacle, and release their seeds.

Using this item

Department of Conservation
Reference: 10054807
Photograph by Lindsey MacFarlane

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Maggy Wassilieff, 'Coastal shoreline - Sand dunes', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/4828/spinifex (accessed 28 March 2024)

Story by Maggy Wassilieff, published 12 Jun 2006