Cenchrus setaceus (Forssk.) Morrone
African fountain grass (Cenchrus setaceus) is a long-lived, perennial grass that is native to North Africa and West Asia. It was introduced to New Zealand as a garden ornamental and was first recorded in the wild (naturalised) in 1982. The plant forms dense tussocks with narrow, arching leaves and flowering stems up to about 1 metre tall. It flowers from summer to autumn, producing soft, pink to purplish, bottlebrush-like flower heads, which develop into seeds enclosed by long, feathery bristles. It tolerates drought and a range of soil types. It reproduces by seed. Seeds are dispersed by wind and human activities.
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