Climate change is pushing it higher. The cushion plant holds its ground. Phyllachne colensoi forms tight, hard cushions. Nature's footstool that bites back. The leaves are small, stiff, and pointed. They are packed tight together. You would not want to sit on it. The leaves are tiny, narrow, and dark green. With a sharp tip. They are pressed against the stem. Overlapping like scales. The flowers are small, white, and star-shaped. Held above the cushion on short stalks. They appear in summer. Phyllachne colensoi grows on rocky slopes, in scree, on exposed ridges. It likes sun. It likes wind. It hates competition. It grows where other plants cannot survive. The name colensoi honours William Colenso. The missionary and naturalist who collected plants in New Zealand. He was a controversial figure. The plant is not. The species is endemic to New Zealand. It is found only in the South Island mountains. In the alpine zone, Phyllachne colensoi is an important pioneer. It stabilises scree. It creates microhabitats for other plants. The genus Phyllachne is named for the leaf-like bracts that surround the flowers. The plant is small. It is tough. It is ancient. Phyllachne colensoi is not threatened. It is common in suitable habitat. But alpine areas are threatened by climate change. This cushion plant is a reminder. The high mountains have their own plants. Hard. Compact. Unyielding. They have been there for a long time. To find phyllachne cushion plant is to walk the rocky slopes of the South Island. Look for the dense, compact cushions. They feel like a wire brush. It is a plant of the exposed places. A survivor of the cold. Populations are found in alpine areas of the South Island. Locally common. Not threatened. Climate change is the primary threat. Alpine habitats are warming. Plants are being pushed to higher elevations.