Abundant. The widespread unnamed entity within A. splendens. Differing from A. splendens by its ecology (confined to hard rock and non-mobile substrates) and morphology (smaller stature, shorter culms - these unable to tolerate immersion by soil , sand (soon dying)). Austroderia splendens s.s. is a species of mobile sand, its culms continue to grow up through sand, so in cultivation it typically falls over. On occasion both races can be sympatric (such as when a rock headland abuts a dune field). Although not accepted as distinct by Dr Henry Connor (who named A. splendens) many people still regard the plant depicted here as distinct and at the very least worthy of further taxonomic investigation. At North Cape this race is common on the cliff faces and especially so within the ultramafic belt.