Common Alder

Flower: Common Alder produces both male and female flowers on the same tree (monoecious). The male catkins are long, drooping, and yellowish-brown, typically appearing in late winter to early spring (February–March), before the leaves emerge. Female flowers are small, upright, and reddish-purple, maturing o... Fruit: By late summer, the fertilised female flowers develop into small, cone-like structures called strobiles. These woody fruits are green at first and mature to a dark brown, releasing small winged seeds that are dispersed by wind and water. The "cones" often persist on the tree through winter. Leaves: Alder leaves are rounded or oval with a distinctive notched (emarginate) tip and a serrated margin. They are a rich green and slightly sticky (glutinous) when young — hence the species name glutinosa. In autumn, they typically fall while still green, rather than turning bright colours.

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Marsh Arrowgrass

Flower: Marsh Arrowgrass produces delicate, star-like flowers arranged along a slender, upright spike that can reach 10–30 cm in height. Each flower has six narrow pinkish-purple or greenish tepals (not true petals or sepals), and yellow-tipped stamens, creating a subtle but attractive display from June to ... Fruit: The fruit is a narrow, cylindrical capsule that splits into six longitudinal segments when mature. These fruits are green at first but turn brown as they dry out. Each segment contains a single seed, and the fruits persist into late summer or early autumn, gradually releasing their contents to assis... Leaves: The leaves of Marsh Arrowgrass are long, slender, and grass-like, arising from the base of the plant. They are linear, fleshy, and grooved, typically 10–30 cm long, with a blunt tip and no visible midrib. Unlike true grasses, they are hairless and often emit a slightly aromatic or salty scent when c...

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Broad-leaved Arrowhead

Flower: Broad-leaved Arrowhead produces striking three-petalled white flowers arranged in whorls along an upright flowering stalk. Blooming from July to September, the flowers have a delicate symmetry, with bright yellow stamens at the centre of the male flowers and green pistils in the female flowers. Thes... Fruit: After pollination, Sagittaria latifolia forms clusters of small, dry, wedge-shaped fruits known as achenes. These are buoyant and float on the surface of the water, aiding dispersal. The plant also spreads via its rhizomes and produces starchy tubers beneath the mud, which are important for vegetati... Leaves: The leaves are broad, arrow-shaped (sagittate), and rise well above the water surface. They have long, sturdy stalks and are dark green with prominent veins. The shape and size of the leaves can vary depending on growing conditions, but the bold arrowhead outline makes the plant easy to identify. Su...

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Canadian Arrowhead

Flower: Canadian Arrowhead (Sagittaria rigida) produces small, three-petalled white flowers with a distinctive yellow centre, typically blooming from June to September. The flowers are arranged in whorls along tall, erect stems that rise above the water’s surface. Male and female flowers are usually found o... Fruit: After successful pollination, the female flowers develop into compact clusters of small, dry fruits known as achenes. These are flattened and ribbed, sometimes with a slight wing, and are released in late summer or early autumn. The seeds may float and are dispersed by water, allowing the plant to c... Leaves: Unlike many other arrowhead species, Sagittaria rigida typically has narrow, strap-like or lance-shaped submerged or emergent leaves rather than the classic arrow-shaped foliage. This linear leaf shape helps distinguish it from related species like Sagittaria latifolia. The leaves are bright green, ...

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Bog Arum

Flower: Bog Arum produces a striking, arum-like inflorescence consisting of a creamy-white spathe that wraps around a short, yellow-green spadix. The spathe is around 4–6 cm long, and the flowering period typically occurs in late spring to early summer (May to July). The spadix is covered with tiny, bisexua... Fruit: The plant develops a cluster of bright red berries in late summer. These are fleshy, rounded, and contain several seeds. While visually attractive, the berries are toxic if ingested, containing irritating compounds that can cause severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Leaves: Bog Arum has glossy, dark green, heart- or kidney-shaped leaves with long stalks, often growing up to 15 cm long. They emerge from a creeping rhizome and often form a loose rosette. The leaves are thick and waxy, helping them survive in their typical waterlogged habitats.

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Alpine Bartsia

Flower: Alpine Bartsia produces striking dark purple to violet flowers, about 15–20 mm long, arranged in dense terminal spikes. Each flower is two-lipped, with a hooded upper lip and a three-lobed lower lip, typical of the figwort family (Orobanchaceae). The flowers appear from June to August, providing a b... Fruit: After flowering, the plant develops small, oblong capsules, each containing numerous tiny seeds. These capsules remain enclosed by the persistent calyx. Seeds are dispersed by wind and gravity, often falling near the parent plant — contributing to its patchy and restricted distribution in upland hab... Leaves: Leaves are opposite, dark green to purplish, and coarsely toothed, with a slightly glossy surface. They are ovate to lance-shaped and often have a reddish tinge, especially in upland light conditions. The lower leaves are stalked, while upper ones are often sessile (without stalks) and can sometimes...

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White Beak-sedge

Flower: White Beak-sedge (Rhynchospora alba) features small, inconspicuous flowers with pale to creamy-colored petals, typically arranged in compact clusters or spikelets at the tips of its slender, grass-like stems. The flowers are delicate and often go unnoticed due to their subtle appearance, but they ad... Fruit: The fruit of White Beak-sedge consists of small, nut-like achenes. These achenes are typically dark brown or black and are attached to the plant's stem in clusters. They have a hard, seed-like shell and are dispersed by wind or water, contributing to the plant's reproductive cycle. Leaves: The leaves of White Beak-sedge are long, slender, and grass-like in appearance. They are typically dark green and have a linear shape. These leaves grow in dense tufts and arise from the base of the plant, forming an attractive clump. The leaves are typically smooth and narrow, adding to the overall...

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Marsh Bedstraw

Flower: Marsh Bedstraw produces small, star-like white flowers from June to September. Each flower has four narrow petals arranged in a cross shape, giving a delicate, open appearance. The flowers grow in loose, branched clusters at the tips of stems and leaf axils. Though individually tiny—only 2–3 mm acro... Fruit: The fruit consists of a pair of tiny round nutlets, each with a rough surface and covered in hooked bristles that help them cling to passing animals or float in water. These ripen in late summer and autumn. This method of dispersal aids the plant’s spread through marshes, ditches, and boggy areas. Leaves: Leaves are narrow, lance-shaped, and arranged in whorls of four to six around the stem. They are smooth-edged, with a slightly glossy green surface, and lack the backward-pointing hooks seen in some other Galium species. The stems are weak and square in cross-section, often sprawling or scrambling o...

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Dwarf Birch

Flower: Dwarf Birch (Betula nana) produces small, wind-pollinated catkins in early spring, typically from April to May. Male catkins are cylindrical and yellowish, releasing pollen into the air, while female catkins are shorter, upright, and green, later turning brown as seeds develop. Unlike the showy flow... Fruit: The fruit consists of tiny winged seeds packed into the mature female catkins, which break apart in late summer to early autumn. These seeds are dispersed by wind and can travel long distances across open landscapes. The fruit is not edible and has no known foraging uses, though it plays a vital rol... Leaves: The leaves of Betula nana are small, rounded to oval, and usually less than 2 cm across. They have a coarsely toothed margin and are borne alternately on slender, reddish-brown twigs. The upper surface is green and glossy, while the underside may be slightly paler and lightly hairy. In autumn, the l...

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Hairy Bittercress

Flower: Hairy Bittercress produces small, white flowers with four petals arranged in a cross shape, typical of the Brassicaceae family. The flowers usually bloom from early spring through summer and grow in loose clusters atop slender, often hairy stems. Their delicate appearance attracts small pollinators ... Fruit: The fruit of Hairy Bittercress is a thin, elongated seed pod called a silique, measuring around 2 to 3 centimeters long. When mature, the pods split open explosively to scatter tiny seeds, allowing the plant to spread rapidly in gardens, lawns, and disturbed soils. Leaves: The leaves form a basal rosette at the plant’s base and are pinnate with several small, rounded leaflets that often have finely toothed edges. The stems and leaves are covered in fine hairs, giving the plant its characteristic “hairy” texture and helping distinguish it from similar species.

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Wavy Bittercress

Flower: Wavy Bittercress produces small, delicate white flowers typically blooming from spring through early summer. Each flower has four petals arranged in a cross shape, characteristic of the Brassicaceae family. The flowers grow in loose clusters on slender stems, attracting small pollinating insects. Fruit: The fruit is a slender, elongated seed pod called a silique, which matures in summer. These pods are thin and straight or slightly curved, containing numerous tiny seeds that disperse when the pods split open, often explosively, helping the plant spread quickly. Leaves: Wavy Bittercress has pinnate leaves with multiple small, rounded leaflets arranged along a central stalk. The leaflets have slightly wavy or scalloped edges, giving the plant its common name. The foliage is bright green and forms a low, spreading rosette at the base.

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Intermediate Bladderwort

Flower: Utricularia intermedia produces small yellow flowers, typically around 10–12 mm across, held singly or in pairs on slender upright stalks (scapes) that rise above the water or damp substrate. Each flower has a two-lipped corolla with a prominent lower lip and short spur, resembling those of U. vulga... Fruit: The fruit is a tiny capsule that contains numerous minute seeds, though Utricularia intermedia reproduces more often vegetatively than by seed. In colder or nutrient-poor habitats, it forms turions (winter buds), which sink and survive at the bottom of the waterbody before resprouting in spring. Fru... Leaves: The plant lacks traditional foliage. Instead, it produces two types of finely divided shoots: green sterile shoots for photosynthesis and pale, root-like shoots that bear numerous small bladder traps (utricles) used to capture minute aquatic invertebrates. This division of function—unique among Brit...

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Nordic Bladderwort

Flower: Utricularia stygia produces small, violet to deep purple flowers on slender, erect stalks (scapes) that rise above the water surface. Each flower is around 6–10 mm across and consists of a two-lipped corolla, with the lower lip often having yellow markings. The flowering period in the UK is typicall... Fruit: The fruit is a tiny capsule containing many minute seeds, but in practice, Utricularia stygia reproduces far more commonly via vegetative means. Like other bladderworts, it overwinters by producing turions—compact, bud-like structures that sink to the bottom and re-sprout in spring. Seed production ... Leaves: This species lacks traditional leaves. Instead, it has finely divided, rootless submerged shoots bearing minute bladder traps (utricles). These bladders are less than 2 mm wide and are used to trap and digest tiny aquatic organisms, such as protozoa and small crustaceans. The traps operate with a va...

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Wavy Bladderwort

Flower: Wavy Bladderwort produces vibrant yellow flowers, very similar in appearance to those of Greater Bladderwort (Utricularia vulgaris), but usually slightly smaller. The two-lipped flowers are borne on erect stalks that rise above the water surface between June and August. The upper lip is upright and ... Fruit: As with other bladderworts, fruit production is uncommon in the UK. When it does occur, it forms as a small, spherical capsule containing minute seeds. More commonly, the plant reproduces vegetatively via stem fragments and the formation of winter buds (turions), which sink in autumn and rise again ... Leaves: The leaves of Utricularia australis are highly divided into fine, thread-like segments, giving the plant a soft, feathery look underwater. Like other bladderworts, the leaves carry tiny bladder traps, which are used to capture microscopic aquatic prey such as water fleas. A key feature distinguishin...

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Blueberry

Flower: Blueberry flowers are small, bell-shaped, pale pink to white, typically hanging in clusters called racemes. They bloom in spring and have a delicate, urn-like shape common to the Vaccinium genus. Fruit: The fruit is a round, fleshy berry, usually blue to dark purple when ripe, measuring about 5–12 mm in diameter. The berries are sweet and juicy, ripening in mid to late summer. Leaves: The leaves are elliptical to ovate, smooth-edged, and dark green, turning red or purplish in autumn. They are arranged alternately on the stems and have a leathery texture.

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