A native ground cover that hugs the coast. Spreading across sand dunes and saltmarshes like a green carpet. Selliera radicans is a plant of the edge. Where land meets sea. Where fresh water meets salt. It tolerates conditions that would kill most other plants. The leaves are fleshy. Spoon-shaped. Bright green. They are thick and succulent. Adapted to store water. The stems creep along the ground. Rooting at nodes. A single plant can form a mat metres across. The flowers are small. White. Star-shaped. With five petals. They appear in summer. Selliera radicans grows in saltmarshes. On sand dunes. On coastal cliffs. It likes wet feet. It tolerates salt. It is often found just above the high tide mark. Where the waves reach only in storms. The plant is an important stabiliser of coastal soils. Its creeping stems hold sand in place. Its roots bind the ground. Without it, dunes would shift. Saltmarshes would erode. The species is endemic to New Zealand and nearby islands. It is not found anywhere else in the wild. It belongs here. In gardens, Selliera radicans is valued as a native ground cover. It spreads quickly. It tolerates poor soils. It does not need much water. It is a good alternative to exotic lawn. The name radicans means rooting. Referring to the creeping stems. The plant is always putting down new roots. Selliera radicans is not threatened. It is common along the coast. But coastal development is reducing its habitat. Climate change and sea level rise may also affect it. The flowers attract native bees. The leaves provide cover for small lizards. The plant is part of the coastal ecosystem. Selliera radicans is a reminder. The edges of the land have their own plants. Adapted. Resilient. Native.