Native to South America, Senegal tea is an aquatic perennial introduced to Australia as an aquarium plant. In the wild, it invades and degrades natural wetlands. Senegal tea can form dense floating mats which block irrigation channels, shallow dams and waterways.

Senegal tea is currently not located in the Wide Bay Burnett and is targeted for prevention under the Wide Bay Burnett Regional Biosecurity Strategy 2017-2022.