Salt spray hits it constantly. Wind scours it. Leptinella dioica spreads across sand dunes and saltmarshes anyway. It forms a dense mat of fern-like leaves. The flowers are small, button-like, yellow-green. The plant is tough. It is resilient. It is well adapted to the harsh coast. The leaves are finely divided. They are fern-like and bright green. They are covered in fine hairs, giving them a silvery sheen. The stems creep along the ground, rooting at nodes. The flowers are small and button-like. They are held above the leaves on slender stalks. Leptinella dioica grows on sand dunes, in saltmarshes, on rocky shores. It tolerates salt spray. It tolerates wind. It tolerates salt water. It belongs in coastal areas throughout the region. The name dioica means dioecious. Male and female flowers are on separate plants. This is unusual in the daisy family. The species is native to New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific. In gardens, Leptinella dioica is valued as a coastal ground cover. It tolerates salt spray. It spreads quickly. It forms a dense mat. It is a good alternative to exotic lawn. Shore button daisy 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. Invasive plants that outcompete native ground covers are another threat. The plant is a reminder. The coast has its own daisies. Small. Button-like. Tough. Leptinella dioica has no recognised Māori name. It grows in coastal areas, which were important resource zones for Māori. The plant would have been known as a sand binder and a plant of the saltmarsh. It plays a role in stabilising the dunes. It adapts faster than expected.