Common name:
Watercress
Family:
Scientific name:
Nasturtium officinale
Synonym:
Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum
Main flower color:
Range:
All across the UK, except the Scottish Highlands
Height:
Up to 15 cm, for the flowering stems; non-flowering stems are creeping
Habitat:
Streams, ditches; usually in still or moving water
Flowers:
Small, around 5 mm in diameter, with four rounded white petals and six short stamens, topped by round, pale yellow anthers. Flowers are arranged in a compact cluster at the top of the stem branches
Fruit:
Relatively short (up to 18 mm) and broad (4 mm) pods, divided along the middle into two segments
Leaves:
Hairless, dark green, pinnately divided into a terminal leaflet and several pairs of slightly smaller lateral leaflets. Leaflets have wavy margins
Season:
May to October
Rarity:
★★★★★
