This groundcover is endemic to New Zealand. It forms a low spreading mat of with purple leaves, cream coloured flowers, and spiny red-purple seed heads (barbless unlike other varieties of A. inermis. It has a tight habit and tolerates a varoety of soil types bt does best in moist, well drained, to dry soil with full sun but can also cope with light shade. It will grow to a height of 20cm and will cascade down a terrace or bank.