Along the Medway

Hoverfly, Eupeodes luniger, female, on Common Fleabane, Pulicaria disenterica.  25 July 2014.

I haven't posted shots from an outing for a while.  These are from a visit to the banks of the Medway, near Hartlake Bridge.  The Medway winds through the Weald and reaches the sea at Gilligham.  Its mouthe is right next to that of the Thames.

The walk leader commented that all the flowers are purple just now, and there are lots, but I seem to have mostly taken photos of yellow and white ones.  At the top is a Fleabane with a visiting hoverfly.  Smart hoverflies always make good photos.

Gypsywort, Lycopus europaeus.  On the River Medway downstream from Hartlake Bridge,  25 July 2014.

Gypsywort is supposed to have been used by the Romany as a dye.  It grows next to water and has quite sweet little flowers, clustering at the leaf nodes.

Gypsywort, Lycopus europaeus.  On the River Medway downstream from Hartlake Bridge,  25 July 2014.

Wild Angelica, Angelica sylvestris.   On the River Medway downstream from Hartlake Bridge, 25 July 2014.

Angelica is another plant that grows by running water.  You can get candied Angelica stems for use as cake decorations.  I would advise caution if you should think about collecting this from the wild, though, as there are similar-looking plants that are highly poisonous.

The River Medway downstream from Hartlake Bridge, 25 July 2014.

Here's the river itself.  It doesn't look very wide or dangerous, yet there is a stone at the bridge commemorating the drowning of a party of 30 hop pickers in 1853.  I am told they fell from an overloaded cart.  So it can't always be this peaceful. 

Fringed Water-lily, Nymphoides peltata.  On the River Medway downstream from Hartlake Bridge, 25 July 2014.

This pretty water-lily grows in the river.  Our walk leader and botany class teacher, Sue Buckingham, has a grapnel for pulling out specimens like this.  It's not a close relative of our normal water-lilies.  Apparently, the flowers are heterostylous, and my next article will be on heretostyly, focusing on this ...

Purple Loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria.   On the River Medway downstream from Hartlake Bridge, 25 July 2014.

Purple Loosestrife - a purple-flowered plant!