Bolboschoenus maritimus

Bolboschoenus maritimus, the sea clubrush, is found widespread on earth in wet enough, warmer enough places, not a strict salt-marsh plant. It tolerates a remarkably wide range of conditions, from fresh water through brackish water to fairly saline wetlands.

The plant may have arrived from Europe, naturalised in parts of South Africa without available details of how that happened. The species is also found in so many other places on earth that its earliest origin, as well as its point of departure coming to South Africa are uncertain. It may have been migrating waterbirds that brought the seeds here, possibly even people. Or what about gradual migration from swamp to swamp, all over much of the earth? The continents were not always separate, remember!

Every suspect is innocent until proven guilty, but prosecution is no use if the guilty party that moved the wrong plant is long dead. The forensics of such a cold case is quite hopeless, the objective of the quest quite senseless. And the peaceful plant only lives here quietly, causing no consternation, apart from some dense stands, maybe no noted invasion yet to complain about.

Unless some high curiosity researcher simply wants to add his few facts to the body of knowledge, because it is possible. If AI grabs more of the real work in human society, people can devote their time to collecting information all sorts, matters of mere interest and no commercial value. Keeping people busy meaningfully and constructively is one part of workfree life. The sweat of the brow must then be "rechannelled" for the species. Or the habit broken. Redesigning the economy to maintain a well-functioning human society for coping with such a shift is another matter.

It took insects and flowering plants how long to figure out sustainable pollination pacts? Are people and AI more capable? 

The Bolboschoenus genus forms part of the Cyperaceae or sedge family. There is more about this strange floral structure species elsewhere on this website. Enter the plant name in the Search Box (Curtis-Scott, et al, 2020; Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; Pooley, 1998; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist; https://pza.sanbi.org).