Sea Arrowgrass

Flower: Tall narrow spike of green flowers on a long stem, 3 petals. Fruit: Green, stalked and oblong. Leaves: Long and grass-like. Similar to Marsh Arrow-grass but the leaves are unfurrowed and broader.

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Marsh Arrowgrass

Flower: A flower spike. The green flowers have purple edges. Individual flowers are up to 3mm wide. Flowers have 3 petals and 6 stamens. Fruit: Narrow, erect and arrow-like. Leaves: Long and grass-like leaves with deep grooves.

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Narrow-leaved Arrowhead

Flower: Whorls of white flowers are produced. Fruit: Globular-shaped fruit. Leaves: The leaves are narrow and linear. Floating and submerged leaves are present. There are no aerial leaves. Perennial.

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Canadian Arrowhead

Flower: Flowers are in whorls of 3, each measuring approximately 1 inch across. The petals are white, tinged pink. 6 or more stamens. Pollinated by insects. Fruit: Globular fruit covered in hooked seeds. The fruit turns reddish as the seeds mature. Leaves: An aquatic perennial with submerged, broadly elliptical, long-stalked leaves, tapering to a point.

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Sea Aster

Flower: The Sea Aster graces the coastal landscapes of the United Kingdom with its stunning flowers, showcasing a kaleidoscope of hues, including soft pinks, purples, and lavenders. Blooming from late summer through early autumn, these vibrant flowers contribute to the picturesque beauty of shorelines. The ... Fruit: The Sea Aster produces small, inconspicuous fruits that follow the blooming period. These fruits, often referred to as achenes, possess a subtle yet essential role in the plant's reproductive cycle. Enclosed within the dried flower head, the achenes are dispersed through various mechanisms, aiding i... Leaves: The Sea Aster boasts leaves that exhibit a diversity of shapes, ranging from lanceolate to elliptical, contributing to its overall visual allure. These resilient leaves, with their distinctive green hues, form a dense foliage that plays a vital role in stabilizing coastal soils and preventing erosio...

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Sea Barley

Flower: The spike is a maximum of 5cm in length. It has stiff, strongly spreading awns, up to 2.5cm long. Fruit: The fruit is a caryopsis. A caryopsis is a type of dry, one-seeded fruit. Leaves: An tufted, erect, annual species with glaucous, velvety leaves.

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Sea Beet

Flower: Sea Beet bears small, inconspicuous greenish flowers. These flowers are typically modest in size and bloom from late spring to early summer. The plant's flowering stems emerge from the glossy foliage, adding a subtle touch to its coastal habitat. While not known for flamboyant blossoms, Sea Beet's f... Fruit: The fruit of Sea Beet consists of small, rounded seed clusters encapsulated within fleshy, triangular structures known as bracts. These bracts often have a papery texture and can take on a reddish or purplish hue. The seeds are contained within these protective structures, and as the plant matures, ... Leaves: Sea Beet is characterized by its large, fleshy leaves, which have a glossy surface. The leaves are typically green but may display a red or purplish tinge, particularly on the stems. These leaves are edible, and when young, they are often harvested for culinary purposes, offering a taste reminiscent...

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Creeping Bent

Flower: Clusters of flower spikelets, usually awned. Spikelets have only one floret. Often purplish. Similar in appearance to Common Bent (Agrostis capillaris) but its flowerheads are less open. Wind pollinated. Fruit: A brown caryopsis (a type of dry one-seeded fruit). Leaves: A perennial grass with creeping runners. Flat leaves with long pointed ligules. Abundant all over the British Isles.

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Black Bog-rush

Flower: Small, dark brown, flattened spikelets. Fruit: An achene surrounded by a hard white coating. Leaves: Thread-like, unbranched, erect and grows in tight clumps straight out of the ground. The leaves have inrolled margins.

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Knotroot Bristlegrass

Flower: Compact green spike reaching a maximum of 10cm in length, each spikelet is surrounded by yellowish-purple bristles. Flowers in my opinion look like hairy caterpillars. Fruit: Oval seeds in autumn and early winter. Leaves: The stiff, flat leaf blades are up to 25cm long and no wider than 1cm.

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Brookweed

Flower: Flower spikes (racemes). Each flower has an inward bending long stalk and is about 2 to 4mm across. The bend in the stalk has a tiny, pointed bract. Triangular but blunt-pointed sepals. Orange heart-shaped anthers. Yellow pollen. Fruit: Green globular fruit capsules containing many reddish-brown seeds. The seeds ripen from July to August. Leaves: A hairless, normally unbranched flower with pale green, fleshy, upright, spoon-shaped leaves. The oval leaves remain close to the stems. The basal leaves are the largest. The stem leaves are alternately positioned going up the stem. Deciduous, short-lived perennial. Most frequently found near the se...

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Common Bulrush

Flower: Tiny and densely packed, forming a chocolate-coloured sausage-shaped spike. Fruit: Fruits are minute. They are produced from the female flowers and are covered in fluffy down. Leaves: Stalkless, long-sheathed, alternate leaves which are mainly produced at the bottom of the stem. Pale blue-green and linear.

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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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Wild Celery

Flower: The creamy-white flowers are produced in compact umbels, approximately 4cm wide. Flowers do not have upper or lower bracts. Pollinated by flies. Fruit: Green, rectangular in cross-section fruits, slightly grooved. The globular seeds are about 2mm in diameter. The seeds ripen in August and September. Leaves: The leaves are 1-pinnate and yellowish-green. The leaflets are large-toothed. The upper leaves are trefoil. Fluted, celery-like stems. Grows in brackish places, usually around the coast. Biennial or short-lived perennial.

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Seaside Centaury

Flower: Tight clusters of pink flowers. Occasionally a white flower may be seen. Similar in appearance to Common Centaury (Centaurium erythraea) but is a smaller plant and the flowers are more bluish-pink. Lesser Centaury (Centaurium pulchellum) is also similar but it's petals are smaller and more slender. ... Fruit: A 2-sectioned seed capsule. Leaves: An erect plant with stalkless, leathery, smooth and hairless, strap-shaped leaves. The leaves are parallel sided (a distinguishing feature), rather unlike other species of Centaury found in the UK. Basal and stem leaves are both present. The stem leaves are in opposite pairs up the stem. Can be foun...

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