Welcome to the Nethan Valley Association Hatchery and Angling

Wetland Plants

Frogbit (Hydrocharis morsus ranae)
Flowers infrequently. A floating plant. European frog-bit is a free-floating aquatic plant of open-water marshes and the standing water pools of swamps. It has small white unisexual flowers that open just above the water surface. The flowers have three white petals and attract a range of insect pollinators.

Juncas (Juncus tenuis )
"Upright Rush". Dark evergreen bolt upright stems forming tight tussocks 60 cm. X 60 cm. A true moisture lover making excellent plants for boggy areas and used as emergent's on the margins of a pond or stream.

Duckweed (Lemnaceae)
The Duckweed Family contains very small
freshwater plants, which float on the surface or
underneath water. When there are many
Duckweed plants growing together, they create
the effect of a green blanket floating on top of the
water. Duckweed has tiny green shoe-shaped
leaves, which absorb sunlight. Duckweed is also
known as "Duckmeat". Due to the fact that ducks,
swans and other birds, love to eat it.

Common Water Crowfoot (Rununculus aquatalis)
The habitat type is widespread in rivers in the UK, especially on softer and more mineral-rich substrates. It is largely absent from areas underlain by acid rock types (principally in the north and west). It has been adversely affected by nutrient enrichment, mainly from sewage inputs and agriculture, and where agriculture has caused serious siltation.

Canadian Pondweed (Elodea canadensis)
This weed was introduced from North America at the end of the 19th century and rapidly spread throughout the UK. It is a relatively common water plant in stillwaters in the UK. It can form dense banks of weed that will block waterways and can re-grow vegetatively from any small piece left after removal. Dominates and outcompetes native weeds.

Starwort (Callitriche stagnalis)
Common water-starwort has tiny, single-sex
flowers carried in the leaf axis. These are
followed by fruits which have four winged lobes.
This plant provides cover for a wide range of
aquatic invertebrates and their larvae, tadpoles
and small fish. Like most other such plants it
provides food for the water vole.

Cottongrass (Eriophorumangustifolium)
Hardy, grows in boggy places with poor drainage on acid peat, common in wettest parts of bog. Noticeably populates bog pools, frequents standing water. Although called Cotton-grass, the plant is actually a sedge and is also known as common cotton-sedge and Bog Cotton. Found in abundance on acid peat on raised and blanket bogs. The plant is fairly inconspicuous in flower, but in fruit it produced plumes of white cotton-like hairs which give the plant its common name. There are two or more fruiting heads per plant, which distinguishes it from the other common species, the Hare's-tail cottongrass.

Flag Iris (Iris pseudacorus)
Yellow Flag Iris, also known as Jacob's Sword and Segg, is a symbol of spring from our wetlands. It is sometimes suggested as the origin of the fleur-de-lis in heraldry. A local name, Segg, comes from the Anglo-Saxon for a short sword, referring to the blade-like character of the leaves. A slice of the root held against an aching tooth is said to bring immediate relief .

nethan valley

All images are either copyright of the Nethan Valley Association or have been given permission to be used on this site.
Please do not copy any part of this site without asking for permission. Website owned by Jimmy Delaney.