Bur-reeds
What are they?
Perennial, aquatic herbs, related to the bulrushes, though with a very different appearance. Leaves are rich green, long and grass-like and plants often grow in extensive, vegetative stands with few flowers.
Where are they found?
In more or less permanent wetlands, especially along the region's major rivers where they often grow in large colonies with aquatic grasses such as Reed Sweet-grass.
Identification
Hard to identify and easily overlooked as large grasses when not in flower. However, the flower structures are diagnostic and unlikely to be confused with anything else in an aquatic habitat. Details of the size and shape of the flower spike are important in determining species.
Branched Bur-reed Sparganium erectum
Native. Common throughout the region in wetland areas, especially along rivers, canals and dykes and often forming extensive, dominant stands of tall, rank vegetation. Flowers June to August. Flowers carried in rounded balls on branched spikes, the male flowers in clusters above the females. Female flowers produce spike-like fruiting bodies.
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Unbranched Bur-reed Sparganium emersum
Native. Locally common but far less so than Branched Bur-reed and more often found growing in permanent water. A much smaller plant than Branched Bur-reed and easily overlooked unless in flower. Flowers June to August. Flowers carried in rounded balls on unbranched spikes, the male flowers in clusters above the females. Female flowers produce spike-like fruiting bodies.
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Least Bur-reed Sparganium natans
Native. A rare plant of good quality wetlands in East Anglia, being far more common in the north and west of the British Isles and Ireland. Flowers June to August. Much smaller than our commoner bur-reed species and most typically found growing in deeper, standing water with its leaves floating and flower spikes rising above the water surface. Typically a single male flower cluster at the top of the spike and the bract of the lowest female flower cluster only just exceeds the overall flower spike in length.
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