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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Arrowhead

Flower: Arrowhead produces striking white flowers with three broad petals and a yellow or purplish centre. These appear in whorled clusters on tall, upright stems from July to September. The flowers are unisexual, with male flowers usually above the female ones on the same plant. They grow above the water s... Fruit: After pollination, the female flowers develop into small, rounded clusters of dry fruits known as achenes. These achenes are buoyant and can float, aiding dispersal via water currents. Each fruit contains a single seed, and the entire cluster may remain attached to the plant above the water or event... Leaves: The plant's name comes from its distinctive arrowhead-shaped leaves, which are sharply pointed and emerge above the water on long stalks. Submerged leaves, however, are strap-like or linear and quite different in form. This dual-leaf structure helps the plant thrive in aquatic environments. The emer...

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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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Himalayan Balsam

Flower: Himalayan Balsam bears large, helmet-shaped flowers ranging in colour from pale pink to deep purplish-pink, with some white-flowered forms occasionally found. Blooming from June to October, the flowers have a distinctive spur at the rear and are pollinated primarily by bees, which are attracted by t... Fruit: The fruit is a slender, green capsule that, like other Impatiens species, ejects seeds explosively when touched—a mechanism known as ballistic seed dispersal. Each capsule contains around 4–16 seeds, which can be launched several metres away. This highly effective dispersal method allows the species... Leaves: Leaves are lance-shaped with sharply serrated edges and grow in whorls of three or sometimes opposite each other. They are dark green, slightly glossy, and have a prominent central vein. Stems are tall (often over 2 metres), reddish, hollow, and succulent, allowing the plant to grow quickly in moist...

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Sea Barley

Flower: Sea Barley produces dense, bristly flower spikes resembling miniature barley ears, with long awns (bristle-like appendages) extending from the glumes. The flowers are wind-pollinated, typically appearing from May to July, and arranged in short, flattened spikes that break apart easily at maturity. Fruit: The fruit is a single-seeded grain (caryopsis) typical of grasses, enclosed within the husk formed by the glumes. The fruit detaches with its surrounding bristles, aiding dispersal by animals or wind. Leaves: Leaves are narrow, grey-green, and rough to the touch, with prominent sheaths. Like other barley species, the ligule is short and membranous, and the plant often grows low and tufted in habit, forming dense clumps in coastal areas.

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Fen Bedstraw

Flower: Fen Bedstraw bears small, white, four-petalled flowers arranged in loose, open clusters. Flowering from June to September, each flower is typically 2–3 mm across and shaped like a cross, similar to Marsh Bedstraw (Galium palustre), but often with a slightly creamier or duller white tone. The flowers... Fruit: Its fruits are a pair of small, smooth nutlets—distinctively hairless, which helps distinguish it from the rough, bristly fruits of G. palustre. The nutlets are not sticky or hooked, so they are less likely to cling to animals. They are dispersed mainly by water movement in the fen and wet meadow en... Leaves: Leaves are narrow, pointed, and arranged in whorls of six to eight along the stems. They are dark green with tiny hairs along the edges and midrib, helping separate it from similar species. The stems are square in cross-section and weak, often sprawling among surrounding vegetation. Unlike the sligh...

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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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Great Marsh Bedstraw

Flower: Great Marsh Bedstraw bears small, delicate white flowers arranged in loose, branched clusters known as cymes. Each flower typically has four narrow, pointed petals, giving a star-like appearance. Blooming from June to August, the flowers are modest but numerous, contributing to the plant’s overall f... Fruit: The fruits are tiny, paired nutlets that mature in late summer. They are generally hairless or minutely roughened and inconspicuous, blending in with the plant’s thin stems. These nutlets do not have hooks or barbs, so they are primarily dispersed by gravity and water movement in the damp habitats w... Leaves: Leaves are narrow, lance-shaped, and arranged in whorls of 4 to 6 along the slender, sprawling stems. The leaves are typically smooth-edged and often slightly recurved. G. palustre subsp. elongatum is characterised by longer, more spreading stems than the typical species, often reaching well over a ...

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Slender Marsh Bedstraw

Flower: Galium constrictum, or Slender Marsh Bedstraw, produces small, star-like white flowers that typically bloom from June to August. Each flower has four narrow petals and is borne in loose clusters at the tips of the stems or in the leaf axils. Though tiny—usually only a few millimetres across—the flow... Fruit: The fruit consists of paired, rounded nutlets, often slightly rough or hairy to the touch. These nutlets are very small and inconspicuous, maturing in late summer. As with many Galium species, seed dispersal is aided by their hooked or bristly surfaces, which can occasionally cling to animal fur or ... Leaves: The leaves of Slender Marsh Bedstraw are narrow and linear, arranged in whorls of 4 to 6 around the stem. Each leaf is short and pointed, with a smooth or slightly rough margin. The stems are weak and sprawling, often forming low, tangled mats in damp or wet habitats. Despite its name, it is not con...

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Creeping Bent

Flower: Creeping Bent (Agrostis stolonifera) produces delicate, purplish-green flowering panicles from June to August. The flower heads are finely branched and open, giving the plant a light, feathery appearance. Each tiny spikelet contains a single floret, with long, protruding anthers that release pollen ... Fruit: The fruit is a tiny, dry, one-seeded grain (caryopsis), typical of grasses. It is wind-dispersed and quite inconspicuous. While the plant does set seed, it predominantly spreads by creeping stolons—horizontal above-ground stems that root at nodes and form new plants. Leaves: Leaves are narrow, flat, and smooth, with a bluish-green tinge. The ligule is long and pointed—an important identification feature for distinguishing it from similar grasses. The plant forms dense mats, with leafy stolons running along the surface of the soil. These creeping stems give it a low, spr...

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New Forest Bladderwort

Flower: New Forest Bladderwort produces small, bright yellow flowers, typically from June through August. The flowers resemble those of other bladderworts, with a two-lipped structure: an upright, helmet-shaped upper lip and a broad, lobed lower lip with a short spur. The floral stems are slender and rise a... Fruit: Fruit production in Utricularia bremii is uncommon. When it occurs, it forms small capsules containing numerous tiny seeds. More commonly, the plant propagates through vegetative means by forming turions—overwintering buds that sink to the bottom in autumn and rise again in spring to regenerate new ... Leaves: The leaves are finely divided into thread-like segments, arranged in whorls along the free-floating, rootless stems. Tiny bladder traps, which capture microscopic aquatic prey, are scattered among the leaf segments. The leaves give the plant a soft, feathery appearance underwater. This species can b...

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Lesser Bladderwort

Flower: Lesser Bladderwort produces small, bright yellow flowers from June to August. Each flower has two lips: a hooded upper lip and a broader, often shallowly three-lobed lower lip with a backward-pointing spur. The flowers are smaller than those of Greater, Wavy, or Pale Bladderwort, and are borne singl... Fruit: Fruiting is uncommon in the UK, but when it occurs, it takes the form of a small, rounded capsule filled with tiny seeds. Like other bladderworts, Utricularia minor mainly reproduces vegetatively, forming winter buds (turions) in autumn. These turions sink and overwinter at the bottom of water bodie... Leaves: The leaves of Lesser Bladderwort are thread-like and divided into narrow segments arranged in whorls along the slender, rootless stems. Interspersed among the leaf segments are minute bladder traps used to capture tiny aquatic organisms. Compared to similar species, its leaf segments are narrower an...

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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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Greater Bladderwort

Flower: Greater Bladderwort produces striking yellow flowers that rise above the water surface on slender stalks during summer, typically between June and August. Each flower is around 1.5 to 2 cm long, with a two-lipped structure: the upper lip is smaller and upright, while the lower lip is larger and ofte... Fruit: The fruit is a small capsule that forms after successful pollination, containing numerous tiny seeds. However, in the UK, fruiting is uncommon, and Utricularia vulgaris primarily reproduces vegetatively via fragmentation and winter buds called turions, which sink and overwinter at the bottom of wate... Leaves: The leaves of Greater Bladderwort are highly divided and thread-like, forming whorls along long, free-floating stems. They lack true roots and instead possess numerous tiny, bladder-like traps among the leaf segments. These translucent bladders are typically 1–4 mm long and are used to capture small...

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