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Kōrero: Native plants and animals – overview

Sand dunes

Image
Sand dunes

Pīngao (Desmoschoenus spiralis), an orange native sedge, seen here at middle left, lives naturally in New Zealand sand dunes. Green marram grass (Ammophila arenaria), seen here in the foreground, was introduced from Europe to bind sand, but has become a weed, as it grows more vigorously than pīngao. These sand dunes at Mason Bay, Stewart Island, are also home to many kiwi who feed out in the open, probing for sandhoppers and other insects of the shore.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Private collection

by Carl Walrond

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.

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Bob Brockie, Native plants and animals – overview – Alpine, wetland and coastal plants, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/photograph/10622/sand-dunes (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā Bob Brockie, i tāngia i te 1 March 2009.