ID : Two aquatic plants.

[Andrew C]

Evening,

During a recent visit to Prewley Moor on the northern edge of Dartmoor I came across two plants growing on the edge of boggy flood pools. Can anyone advise me on what they might be please?

Regards,
Andrew.

[Dorts]

1. Water Purslane - Lythrum portula.
2. New Zealand Pygmyweed - Crassula helmsii. An invader that is rapidly spreading across the country causing great problems to areas of our native wetland flora.
Dorts.

[Andrew C]

Evening Dorts,

Thanks ever so much. I also believe I saw Blue Water Speedwell last night at Hackney Marshes but now I am not sure it wasn't pink. No binoculars and it was a bit of a way down in silty mud.

Regards,
Andrew.

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by Andrew C

Evening Dorts,

Thanks ever so much. I also believe I saw Blue Water Speedwell last night at Hackney Marshes but now I am not sure it wasn't pink. No binoculars and it was a bit of a way down in silty mud.
Regards,
Andrew.

Blue and Pink Water Speedwell's readily hybridise, much to the detriment of the former species. So much so that the true Veronica anagallis-aquatica , (Blue Water Speedwell) is becoming increasingly scarce.

Veronica catenata - (Pink W.S.) is gradually working its way up-stream along brooks, streams and rivers, hybridising as it goes, so that pure Blue W.S. is now often only found at the sources of streams.
Always worth recording true plants when found.
Dorts.

[Andrew C]

Originally Posted by Dorts

Blue and Pink Water Speedwell's readily hybridise, much to the detriment of the former species. So much so that the true Veronica anagallis-aquatica , (Blue Water Speedwell) is becoming increasingly scarce.

Veronica catenata - (Pink W.S.) is gradually working its way up-stream along brooks, streams and rivers, hybridising as it goes, so that pure Blue W.S. is now often only found at the sources of streams.
Always worth recording true plants when found.
Dorts.

Fascinating, thanks. I shall try to remember to check waterways at their higher reaches whenever I am near them. The more I have looked at literature and my poor grainy image, I feel inclined towards Pink Water Speedwell but the florets are much larger than suggested for Pink in the books and closer to Blue. This could possibly suggest a hybrid?

Regards,
Andrew.