Tentacular Spectacular

Bogbean, Menyanthes trifoliata. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 25 April 2017.

I had to post this photo of the flowers of Bogbean, a water plant in a small pool in Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve.  The plant looks unexceptional for most of the year.

Bogbean, Menyanthes trifoliata. Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 25 April 2017.

It has a short flowering season, so normally you just see these leaves.  But those petals covered with tentacles are amazing.

You can see some of the plant in the background of this photo I took of the same pond in September last year:

New Zealand Pigmyweed, Crassula helmsii.  Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 2 September 2016.

This photo is of an invasive foreign plant, New Zealand Pigmyweed, which covers most of the edge of the pond.  It has pretty little flowers:

New Zealand Pigmyweed, Crassula helmsii.  Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, 2 September 2016.

But unfortunately it chokes and outgrows any native plant that likes the same habitat.  Here's a quote from the Non-native Species Secretariat:

"Introduced in 1911 as an oxygenating plant for ponds and, since the 1970s, has spread rapidly. Forms dense mats and can impede drainage, causing flooding. Displaces other aquatic plant species and reduces amenity use of the waterbody.

New Zealand Pigmyweed is listed under Schedule 9 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 with respect to England, Wales and Scotland. As such, it is an offence to plant or otherwise cause this species to grow in the wild."