Two water plants, please can you ID? (1 Viewer)

[creedence]

These two plants were found in a freshwater ditch in Sussex. I find water plants very difficult, I am happy to hear any ideas as to what they could be.

 

[aeshna5]

The right-hand photo looks like on of the Callitriche species (water starworts).

 

[Xenospiza]

The left-hand one looks like Callitriche as well.
Without fruit, they are difficult to impossible for everyone!
From a picture in their original setting, I could possibly narrow it down, but a mess in a bowl throws me completely...

 

[creedence]

The left-hand one looks like Callitriche as well.
Without fruit, they are difficult to impossible for everyone!
From a picture in their original setting, I could possibly narrow it down, but a mess in a bowl throws me completely...

Thanks aeshna5 and Xenopspiza. I appreciate the difficulties of trying to ID these when they are out of context. The right hand one is very small so perhaps not Callitriche? The other looks similar to Callitriche, but different to my photo in the post about 14 below this one. They appear to still be alive in their respective containers, but far too early for flowers I think.

 

[Xenospiza]

Callitriche stagnalis (Common Water-Starwort) is usually small in comparison to other starworts and is therefore not too hard to identify (but its best feature is that it often grows on land).
In Sussex, obtusangulata, platycarpa and brutia are the main "bigger" water-starworts.
An additional issue with starworts is that they are not particularly prone to flowering!

 

[creedence]

Thanks again Xenospoiza. Here are two more pictures of the second plant (the right hand of the two pictures). In better light, with a ruler for scale and through a 2x hand lens.

 

[King Edward]

Second plant looks like a Galium to me, possible G. palustre, rather than an aquatic. As far as I can see the leaves are in whorls of 4, rather than in opposite pairs as in Callitriche. I agree with Callitriche sp. for the first one.

 

[creedence]

Second plant looks like a Galium to me, possible G. palustre, rather than an aquatic. As far as I can see the leaves are in whorls of 4, rather than in opposite pairs as in Callitriche. I agree with Callitriche sp. for the first one.

Interesting ID, perhaps the plant is only in the water as there had been a lot of rain. I’ll check on it again next week.