Amphibious Bistort

Flower: Pink compact spike, 5 petals. Fruit: Dark brown to black, round, flattened achene. Leaves: The alternate leaves are short-stalked and with tapered bases. The leaf blades are long, narrow, hairy and sometimes tinged red. The submerged leaves are slightly different; they are hairless, have rounded bases and normally float on the surface of the water in which they stand.

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Blinks

Flower: Very tiny white flowers appearing in clusters of 1 to 3. Short-stalked. Pollinated by insects. Fruit: Shiny, black fruits. The seeds ripen from June to October. Leaves: A prostrate, low-growing, annual or short-lived perennial plant with small, narrowly oval to oblong (blunt-tipped) leaves. The leaves appear together in opposite pairs along the stems. Usually found growing on wet ground or in mud and is sometimes aquatic.

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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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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: Solitary, oval flowerheads. Silvery-white and petalless. Fruit: The fruit is a reddish-brown nut. Leaves: An annual or short-lived perennial with very narrow, thread-like leaves.

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Floating Club-rush

Flower: The flowers are aerial and are held in a single, long-stalked spikelet. No sepals. Fruit: Brown, globular nut. Leaves: The flat leaves are slender and submerged. They appear in tufts up the stem. Grows in still or slow flowing water.

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Ivy-leaved Crowfoot

Flower: White buttercup-like flowers with gaps between the petals. Petals are equal in size to the green sepals. The flowers each measure from 4 to 8mm in diameter. Fruit: The fruit is an achene. Leaves: An annual or short-lived perennial with glossy, ivy-shaped leaves. The leaves are widest at the base and have 3 to 5 lobes. Leaves may be floating or terrestrial.

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Thread-leaved Water Crowfoot

Flower: White, buttercup-like flowers with yellow centres. Flowers are 7 to 12mm in size. Fruit: The fruit is a roundish or oval seedhead. Leaves: The leaves are thread-like with stiff segments. All leaves are underwater. Annual.

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Three-lobed Crowfoot

Flower: White flowers, similar in shape to those of buttercups of which is in the same family. Petals are yellow at their bases. The sepals are tipped blue and down-turned. Fruit: The fruit of Three-lobed Crowfoot is an achene (a dry one-seeded fruit). Leaves: Surface leaves are 3-lobed and broadest above their bases. The submerged leaves are feathery and finely divided. Submerged leaves are seldom seen. Grows only in still water.

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Marsh Dock

Flower: The inflorescence is a whorl of reddish-brown flowers. Fruit: Flat roundish fruits with 3 large oblong warts. The fruits are well-toothed. Fruits are similar in appearance to Golden Dock (Rumex maritimus) but do not turn yellow in autumn and the teeth are shorter. Leaves: Marsh Dock is an annual or short-lived perennial. The leaves are narrow and pointed (lance-shaped), alternate up the stems. It is similar in appearance to Golden Dock (Rumex maritimus).

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Common Eelgrass

Flower: Inconspicuous branched flower spikes. Water pollinated. Fruit: The fruit is a bladder-like nutlet with a transparent casing. Inside is the seed. Leaves: An aquatic perennial with dark green, linear leaves. Rarely found in estuaries.

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