Nicoteba betonica (White Shrimp Plant)

Native to tropical and southern Africa and from the Indian subcontinent to Myanmar, this plant is a shrubby perennial. Its upright flower spikes have papery white to pale green bracts marked by a network of green veins, surrounding small pink to violet flowers. Cultivated as an ornamental, it has escaped gardens in Queensland and invaded damp sites, especially waterways, where dense stands replace native vegetation. Photographed in Colombia.