The Bidi-bidi.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 852, 28 August 1933, Page 9

The Bidi-bidi.

A Garden Corner.

rpHIS interesting though some•L what obnoxious trailing plant is generally regarded as pertaining to New Zealand only, but, while we can truly claim it to be a native, this species, or variations of it, are found in other southern temperate countries. There are several varieties of the biddy-bid, as we used to call it, and the genus is well represented in Chili, Peru and the Falkland Islands, while on the other side of us, Tasmania and Australia also have it. On this evidence it might be supposed that at an early date there existed some form of land connection between all these places. To support the contention there is a close connection between much of our flora with that of Southern America. The bidi-bidi would make quite a good addition to the rock garden. Indeed in most English collections and catalogues it is listed under its proper name, Acaena, /To those tramping through its habitat in mid-summer the burrs are very affectionate, while they deteriorate the value of wool from the sheep very considerably. T. D. LENNIE.