More Welsh plant ID needed

[TBRO]

Found this cute crypt like plant growing in a drainage ditch in Snowdonia. Anyone got any ideas what it could be ?

Cheers, T

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
That is Lesser Spearwort (Ranunculus flammula).

Image via Carl Farmers' very interesting "Skye flora".
cheers Darrel

 

[TBRO]

Your a legend Darrel. Cheers

 

[mr. luke]

Reminds me of a straggly crypt sp, But a lot cheaper

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
They probably fill the same sort of ecological niche as Crypts, places where they are submersed/emersed for different periods of the year. I've only ever seen Lesser Spearwort in wet, acid marshy places, but I have a bit in my pond and it has done OK.

I've also got Greater Spearwort Ranunculus lingua,and that is a much bigger emergent with similar leaves (it will grow in quite deep water) but a really impressive big buttercup flower, it's rare inthe wild in the UK and likes lime.

http://www.habitas.org.uk/flora/species.asp?item=2717

cheers Darrel

 

[TBRO]

Brilliant knowledge again, do you work professionally with plants/ecology ?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Yes I have worked as an ecologist. I have a degree in Botany, and the IDQ Vascular plants (Bo11) from the NHM http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/postgraduate/idq/flora.html.

I don't really have that sort of job any more, I now do any little bits of job that come into the lab, and some data analysis work. I still do a very limited amount of botanical surveying for the Wildlife Trust etc. (mainly as a volunteer), the only paid one I have a the moment is a very small contract from Radstock Museum & Hansons PLC to botanically survey old quarry workings in the E. mendips (Frome/Leigh on Mendip).
cheers Darrel

 

[TBRO]

Wow, that really is earning that "Expert" status. Nice to have such an authority on British plants on UKAPS, thank

 

[TBRO]

Here's some close up's of a couple of sprigs I have growing on my windowsill. Really does look like crypt parva. Also found a Welsh version of hairgrass, seems to grow underwater in a red-ish colour.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Looking very good. The "Welsh hair grass" looks like it is possibly a Juncus sp. ("Rush") rather than an Eleocharis sp. ("Spike Rush"), both have round stems and no leaves.

I think it might be Juncus acutiflorus (or J. articulatus) If you squeeze a stem and run your fingers up to the tip you should be able to feel a series of ridges almost like knots on a piece of string. If it doesn't have these it may be J. effusus. (Soft Rush). You may be able to find

J.articulatus http://www.habitas.org.uk/flora/species.asp?item=2231,
J. effusus http://www.habitas.org.uk/flora/species.asp?item=2221

They are both a bit big and terrestrial for Aquaria, but you may be able to find J. bulbosus "Bulbous Rush" in the same habitat that may have potential as an aquarium plant. http://www.habitas.org.uk/flora/species.asp?item=2234

cheers Darrel

 

[TBRO]

I think the third "Bulbous Rush" seems the most similar. It is very small and was growing underwater as well. The others are very common in all upland areas of western UK, as you say are much bigger. Will have to see what grows!