Plant
Perennial with persistent rosette of pointed oval leaves. Leaves reducing in size up the stem.
Flowers
Small, pink to red, rarely white, numerous, in spiral. Labellum white, fringed.
Flowering
January - April.
Habitat
Boggy areas or wet compacted shingle among grasses, often seasonal wetlands.
Conservation
Widely distributed, usually few, scattered plants; not threatened but at risk.
Notes
Rosettes easily overlooked. DNA studies identify this with S. australis. One variant tagged S. “Motutangi” is a more robust plant with more widely opening flowers.
Key features
Wetland plant, many spirally arranged tubular pink flowers, scarcely opening.
