August Means Wetland Flora

As I've not posted anything for a few days, and as August is midway through the peak season for recording wetland and aquatic flora, I thought I would post something vaguely topical in the hope that it attracts a few more records or puts a face to a name for people interested in the variation present within species.

The robust form of Common Water-pepper (Persicaria hydropiper var. densiflora) is proving frequent in the margins of the River Great Ouse in Huntingdonshire, I am also finding it in similar habitats along the lower River Wharfe e.g. near Bolton Percy (VC64). It seems to cope with the more vigorous vegetation of river banks better than the less robust var. hydropiper (it would have helped to have a photo of this one also - a task for the next few weeks). It often occurs with some or all of the following relatives: Persicaria maculata, P. mitis and P. minor var. latifolia.

As the varietal name suggests it has a stouter inflorescence densely packed with flowers.