There are also two isolated records from the herbarium at the French Muséum national d'histoire naturelle for the Île Amsterdam in the Indian Ocean.

[1] It was introduced to Shetland,[2] Scotland for basket making in 1844,[3] and possibly as a source of fodder[4] because of its ability to grow in hostile conditions.

It grows in dense clumps, usually about 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) high (although they can be much taller), on wet coastal land and is a dominant feature of much of the landscape.

The austral thrush is predominantly found in this habitat on the Falkland Islands, with tussocks being used as nesting sites.

On South Georgia, it was a principal food of the introduced reindeer[6] (which was eradicated in 2015) which had caused considerable environmental damage, including erosion and eventual replacement of tussac grass in places by the introduced annual meadow-grass.