Carrot Family [Apiaceae] |
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15th May 2018, Playden, Rye, Sussex | Photo: © RWD |
Has stout stems which are shiny and grows in either shallow(ish) still or slow-flowing freshwater. |
15th May 2018, Playden, Rye, Sussex | Photo: © RWD |
The stems are often very substantial at water-level, getting thinner higher up, but hollow throughout. At each change in diameter of the main stem, a leafy branch peels off. These stems are telescopically set and very distinctive, but there are much thinner ones around (other aquatic plants such as a Water-Plantain on the left and another behind a Fine-leaved Water-dropwort also occupy this pond). |
15th May 2018, Playden, Rye, Sussex | Photo: © RWD |
An isolared example. Each branch has an extended sheath (here coloured pale brown) around and part-way up the branches. When it is flowering (later in the year), a flowering branch emerges from the main stem but on the opposite side of each branch. [Another aquatic also occupies this pond: Water Violet - seen here flowering bottom right corner]. |
15th May 2018, Playden, Rye, Sussex | Photo: © RWD |
These two specimens are very sturdy near the waters' surface and taper upwards. It almost looks like a primordial plant standing in a swamp. The stems are hollow [another Water Violet stands with much a more delicate stem in front of it].] |
15th May 2018, Playden, Rye, Sussex | Photo: © RWD |
The main stems are slightly ribbed but the branches are more noticeably grooved (presumably for stiffness) especially where they peel off the main stem. [Water Violet holds its stance amidst formidable opposition]. |
15th May 2018, Playden, Rye, Sussex | Photo: © RWD |
The striations and faintly ribbed or angular (depending which bit you look at) nature of the main stem and the deep grooves of the sheath around the branches [Water Violet dwarfed by the sturdiness of its neighbour]. |
15th May 2018, Playden, Rye, Sussex | Photo: © RWD |
It has 3 types of leaves. The upper leaves here are triply pinnate and opposite each other. |
15th May 2018, Playden, Rye, Sussex | Photo: © RWD |
The leaflets of the upper leaves themselves are not pinnate, but have several lobes which are not cut to the centre-line (if they were the leaves would be 4-pinnate). |
15th May 2018, Playden, Rye, Sussex | Photo: © RWD |
Upper leaves: The leaflets (pinna) have oval lobes in a 'pinnate' arrangement (but one which is not cut all the way to the centre-line and therefore not truely pinnate). |
15th May 2018, Playden, Rye, Sussex | Photo: © RWD |
The lower leaves have filligree leaflets, which are still triply pinnate but the ultimate pinna are much more linear than oval. This specimen has a leaf which is abnormally paler than the rest - perhaps it is dying(?). |
15th May 2018, Playden, Rye, Sussex | Photo: © RWD |
Lower leaves: The paler-green leaf. The pinna have a very different look and jizz to the upper leaves. |
15th May 2018, Playden, Rye, Sussex | Photo: © RWD |
Lower leaves: filligree leaflets. |
15th May 2018, Playden, Rye, Sussex | Photo: © RWD |
Lower leaves: filligree leaflets. |
15th May 2018, Playden, Rye, Sussex | Photo: © RWD |
Lower leaves: filligree leaflets. They have a thinner look than those on the upper leaves. |
15th May 2018, Playden, Rye, Sussex | Photo: © RWD |
Lower leaves: In close-up the pinna have almost but not quite linear lobes. Moreover the tips are pointed rather than the nearly blunt lobes of the Upper Leaves. |
15th May 2018, Playden, Rye, Sussex | Photo: © RWD |
Lower leaves: The tips of the lobes have a short acuminate point.
[The third type of leaves Fine-leaved Water-dropwort has are underwater leaves (not shown) which have even finer (longer and truly linear) leaflets]. In reality, although this specimen has triply pinnate leaves, the plant can be 2-, 3-, or 4-pinnate. |
Easily mistaken for : other
Some similarities to :
No relation to : WATER-DROPWORTS:
Fine-leaved Water-dropwort, unlike all other Water-dropworts except
But the leaves of
It also has hollow stems like all other Water-dropworts apart from Parsley Water-Dropwort and
[Both
All Water-dropworts either have (no bracts (Tubular Water-Dropwort) or usually no bracts) beneath the umbels apart from |
Oenanthe | aquatica | ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ | Apiaceae |
Oenanthe (Water-Dropworts) |
Carrot Family [Apiaceae] |