Habitat: bank, clay, cliff, coast, gap, gorge, gravel, hill, lowland, margin, moist, open, pasture, ridge, riparian, roadside, rock outcrop, sand, shaded, sheltered, shrubland, silt, slope, stone, terrace, unstable/eroded, wasteland

Dispersal: Seed

 Recognition
  • a large, summer green, clump forming perennial herbaceous plant with short, stout rhizomes.
  • its leaf stalk up to 1 m long and covered with short, reddish prickles.
  • its leaf up to 1m long and wide, 5-7 lobed, coarse above and main veins with soft prickles.
  • its inflorescence is up to 1 m long at fruiting, with numerous short lateral branches up to 7 cm long.
  • its flowers numerous, without petals, and small (about 1 mm long).
  • its seeds are 1-1.3 mm across.
 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