Amphibious Bistort

Flower: Amphibious Bistort produces dense, cylindrical spikes of small pink flowers that bloom from June to September. These flower spikes typically emerge above water or from creeping stems in damp soil, depending on the plant’s growing form. The spikes are about 2–5 cm long and composed of many tiny five-... Fruit: After flowering, each bloom produces a small, three-sided, dark brown fruit known as an achene. These fruits are dry and do not split open, developing in late summer and autumn. Although inconspicuous, they contribute to the plant’s spread via water or by clinging to passing animals. Leaves: This species has two growth forms—aquatic and terrestrial. In water, the leaves are large, floating, oval-shaped, and glossy, often with a reddish midrib. On land, the plant produces elongated, wavy-edged leaves on sprawling stems that root at nodes. All leaf types are alternate and stalked, and the...

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Blinks

Flower: Blinks produces tiny, delicate white to pale pink flowers with five rounded petals, typically about 5 mm across. These flowers bloom from spring to late summer and often grow in clusters on slender stems, giving a subtle splash of color in wet or damp habitats. Fruit: The fruit is a small, round capsule that splits open when ripe to release numerous tiny seeds. Because the seeds are so minute, they can be easily dispersed by water or mud, fitting the plant’s preference for damp or aquatic environments. Leaves: Leaves of Montia fontana are small, fleshy, and shiny, usually oval to lance-shaped, growing opposite or in whorls along creeping or trailing stems. The bright green leaves often have a succulent texture, helping the plant thrive in moist soil or shallow water.

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Common Bulrush

Flower: Common Bulrush, also known as Broadleaf Cattail, is a tall, reed-like plant found in marshes, ponds, and ditches across the UK. Its flowering stem produces two distinct cylindrical spikes: the upper one bears the yellowish male flowers, while the lower and much thicker brown spike holds the female f... Fruit: The female flower head matures into a dense mass of tiny seeds, each attached to fine hairs. In autumn, the brown spike gradually disintegrates, releasing the seeds to the wind like dandelion fluff. This allows the plant to spread widely across wetlands, often forming extensive colonies. Though not ... Leaves: The leaves of Common Bulrush are flat, grey-green, and can grow up to 2 metres tall. They are long and strap-like, arising from the base in a fan-shaped cluster. The leaves have a smooth texture and are somewhat spongy inside. Their strong, fibrous quality made them historically useful for weaving m...

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Lesser Bulrush

Flower: Tiny and densely packed, sausage-shaped, spongy, brown flowers. Similar to Common Bulrush (typha latifolia) but the flowers are a paler brown. Also, Lesser Bulrush often has its male and female flowers separated by a 3 to 8cm gap (the male flower being on top). Wind-pollinated. Fruit: A dry, cottony / hairy nutlet (called an achene). Leaves: Long, thin, linear leaves, similar to Common Bulrush except that they are narrower and paler. The leaves are 1 to 2cm wide. Common and Lesser Bulrush can hybridise to produce Typha angustifolia x latifolia. Perennial.

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Trifid Bur-marigold

Flower: The flowers of Trifid bur-marigold are bright yellow and resemble daisies. They have a central disk surrounded by several yellow ray florets. These flowers are relatively small and appear in clusters at the ends of the plant's branches. The bright yellow color and daisy-like appearance make them vis... Fruit: The fruit of Trifid bur-marigold is small and elongated, often referred to as "achenes." These fruits are typically dark brown or black and have barbed seeds. The barbs on the seeds make them easily attach to clothing, fur, or other surfaces, aiding in seed dispersal as they hitch rides on animals o... Leaves: The leaves of Trifid bur-marigold are characterized by their three-lobed or trifid shape, which gives the plant its name. They are green, serrated along the edges, and grow alternately along the stems. The leaves are typically relatively large and contribute to the plant's overall bushy appearance. ...

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London Bur-marigold

Flower: The branching stems have 1 to 3 orange-yellow flowerheads. The inner bracts which surrounds the yellow centre of the flower are brownish and oval. The leafy outer bracts are narrowly elliptical and unequal in size. The outer bracts are 2 or 3 times as long as the flowerhead itself. Fruit: Oblong, dark brown or dark purple fruit, not flattened as in the similar looking Trifid Bur-marigold (Bidens tripartita). There are 2 to 4 hooked awns at one end of the fruit. Leaves: The broadly lance-shaped, toothed leaves are usually in opposite pairs going up the stem. Some of the upper leaves are alternate along the stems. Leaf blades measure up to 6 inches (15cm) long and 1.5 inches (4cm) wide. Smooth, green, purple-tinged, erect stems. Annual.

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Buttonweed

Flower: The flowers of Buttonweed are small and button-like, with a distinct yellow hue. They are clustered together, creating a visually striking appearance. The plant's flowering structure adds a touch of vibrancy to its surroundings, forming clusters of these yellow button-like blooms. The overall effect... Fruit: The fruit of Buttonweed is composed of small, rounded seeds. These seeds are typically encapsulated within the mature flower head, contributing to the distinctive button-like appearance. The fruiting structure is modest in size and complements the overall low-growing and spreading nature of the plan... Leaves: The leaves of Buttonweed are green, fleshy, and characterized by distinct lobes. They emit a distinctive odor when crushed. The leaves are arranged densely along the stems, contributing to the plant's low-growing and mat-forming habit. This foliage, with its lobed structure, adds to the overall appe...

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Triangular Club-rush

Flower: Reddish-brown, egg-shaped spikelets within branched clusters. Smaller clusters than those of the similar looking Common Club-rush (Schoenoplectus lacustris). Fruit: The fruit is a brown, 3-sided nutlet. Leaves: Leafless stems. Similar to Common Club-rush (Schoenoplectus lacustris) but has 3-sided stems. Perennial.

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Slender Club-rush

Flower: Isolepis cernua has tiny, single spikelets at the tip of each stem, about 2–4 mm long, usually appearing to nod or droop—hence the name cernua (meaning "nodding"). Each spikelet contains multiple minute flowers enclosed by brownish scales. Flowering occurs from May to September. The bract beneath th... Fruit: The fruit is a tiny, smooth achene, slightly lens-shaped or oval, pale to mid-brown when ripe, around 1 mm long. It has a small tubercle (style base) on top, and seeds are dispersed mostly by gravity and rain splash, less so by water than its floating cousin I. fluitans. Leaves: Leaves are very fine, hair-like, and usually reduced to sheaths at the base of the stem. The plant has a tufted, grass-like appearance, forming low clumps. Stems are slender, smooth, and cylindrical, usually 5–15 cm tall, although sometimes longer in shaded or sheltered spots.

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Floating Club-rush

Flower: Isolepis fluitans bears very small, inconspicuous flowers in solitary, terminal spikelets, typically 1.5–3 mm long. These are subtended by a long bract that looks like a continuation of the stem, making them easy to overlook. Each flower consists of scales and bristles, as is typical for sedges. It ... Fruit: The fruit is a tiny, smooth achene (nutlet), typically pale brown and lens-shaped, about 1 mm long, and sometimes topped with a small style base (tubercle). Seeds may float and are dispersed by water currents, especially in the slow-moving streams and ditches where it thrives. Leaves: Its leaves are reduced, thread-like and grass-like, and the stems are long, slender, and often creeping or floating on the water surface. These hollow stems can form dense mats over ponds, ditches, or slow rivers. They are typically green to yellowish, flexible, and may root at nodes. The species fo...

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Ivy-leaved Crowfoot

Flower: Ivy-leaved Crowfoot bears small, delicate white flowers with five rounded petals, each typically notched at the tip. These flowers, about 4–6 mm across, appear singly on long stalks from leaf axils between April and September. A subtle yellowish centre and slightly overlapping petals give them a mod... Fruit: The fruit is a cluster of tiny achenes—dry, one-seeded fruits that form a rounded head following flowering. Each achene has a short beak and matures to a dull brown. These seed heads are often inconspicuous but are typical of the buttercup family and assist in species identification later in the sea... Leaves: The leaves are small, soft, and resemble miniature ivy leaves—hence the species name. They are shallowly lobed, often with three to five rounded lobes, and borne on long stalks. Their bright green colour and creeping, mat-forming habit help the plant spread across wet ground and shallow water margin...

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Thread-leaved Water Crowfoot

Flower: Thread-leaved Water-crowfoot produces small, white flowers typically 1–2 cm across, with five slightly overlapping, rounded petals and a yellow centre formed by the stamens and carpels. The petals often have a tiny notch at the tip. Flowers are held just above the water surface on slender stalks and... Fruit: The fruit is a small, globular head of achenes—each one dry and one-seeded, with a slightly curved beak. These achenes form in a dense cluster after flowering and are typically 1–2 mm long. They are spread by water movement and can float for dispersal, helping the plant colonise new aquatic habitats. Leaves: The leaves of R. trichophyllus are entirely submerged and highly divided into thread-like (capillary) segments, forming fine, feathery structures. They grow in whorls or alternately along the stem and help reduce resistance in flowing water. Unlike some related species (like R. aquatilis), this spec...

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Three-lobed Crowfoot

Flower: The delicate flowers of Ranunculus tripartitus are small and pale pinkish-white to pale lilac, typically with five rounded petals, each around 4–6 mm long. Blooming between April and September, they are found in shallow, temporary water bodies, such as seasonal pools, ruts, or damp heaths, especiall... Fruit: The fruit consists of a head of small achenes, each around 1 mm long, and sometimes with a slight beak. The achenes develop shortly after flowering and are dispersed by water movement or local disturbance, helping the species persist in its temporary aquatic habitats. The fruiting structures remain ... Leaves: This species has both submerged and floating leaves. The submerged leaves are thread-like and finely divided, ideal for underwater growth, while the floating or emergent leaves are distinctively three-lobed, from which the plant gets its name. These lobed leaves resemble a bird's foot or a clover an...

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Marsh Dock

Flower: Marsh Dock produces small greenish or reddish flowers, borne in whorled clusters on tall, erect stems. Flowers are monoecious, with both male and female parts typically on the same plant. The flowering period extends from June to September, and the flowers are wind-pollinated, like other members of ... Fruit: The fruit is a triangular achene, enclosed by three inner sepals (valves) that are usually rounded or toothed and often bear distinctive tubercles (small, wart-like swellings). These features help with species identification and may assist in water dispersal due to the marshy habitats this plant occ... Leaves: Leaves are long, narrow, and lance-shaped, often with a shiny surface and wavy margins. They form a rosette at the base and grow alternately up the stem. The leaves are softer and more slender than in most other docks, reflecting the plant’s preference for wet environments. They can be slightly redd...

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Common Eelgrass

Flower: Zostera marina produces tiny, ribbon-like flowers arranged in a spadix enclosed within a flattened sheath (spathe) on a flattened flowering stem. The species is monoecious, meaning both male and female flowers appear on the same plant. Flowering typically occurs between May and September. Like other... Fruit: The fruit of Z. marina is a small, greenish-brown, oval seed capsule (utricule) about 2–3 mm long. These fruits are released into the water and may sink nearby or be carried by currents. However, seed germination is relatively infrequent in UK populations. Instead, Z. marina primarily spreads vegeta... Leaves: The leaves of Common Eelgrass are strap-like, flat, and can grow up to 1 metre long and 2–7 mm wide, making them the broadest of the UK Zostera species. They have a rounded tip, smooth margins, and a single distinct mid-vein, and they grow in dense rosettes from rhizomes. These long, waving blades a...

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