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WildBristol.uk - Discovering Wildlife in Bristol

62.) HIPPURIDACEAE & CALLITRICHACEAE

HIPPURIDACEAE - Mare's-tail family

HIPPURIS L.

  • Hippuris vulgaris L. (Mare's-tail) /- Wetland Scarce A scarce plant of ponds, lakes, reservoirs and rhynes. Locally frequent in the Gordano Valley and at Chew Valley and Blagdon Lakes; occurring very sparsely elsewhere and sometimes as an introduction. First recorded in our region in a lake in Tortworth Park by Baker (Withering, 1796). Interestingly this is the only British plant to bear a single stamen in its flowers.

CALLITRICHACEAE - Water-starwort family

CALLITRICHE L.

  • Callitriche truncata Guss. ssp. occidentalis (Rouy) Braun-Blanq. (Short-leaved Water-starwort) Wetland Extinct First discovered in rhynes north-west of Kingston Seymour towards Treble House Farm in 1951 by C.I. & N.Y. Sandwith and was still present when revisited by the same recorders in 1962. After which it was considered to be extinct at this locality by Roe (1981) but was refound in 1992 by C. & M.A.R. Kitchen. It was also discovered in a rhyne at Rolstone between Waterloo Farm and Lower Gout Farm in 1992 by R.J. Higgins and D. Lawrence and determined by C.D. Preston. It was last seen at this latter site in 1999 by I.P. Green and has not been recorded from either site since but it may be refound one day.

  • Callitriche stagnalis Scop. (Common Water-starwort) / Wetland Uncommon By far the most common Water-starwort in our region; found in ponds, ditches, rhynes, streams, canals and slow-moving rivers, rutted tracks and on the exposed damp mud of receding water bodies. Predominating on the north Somerset Levels and Moors and parts of the north of the region, becoming much more rare around BANES.

  • Callitriche platycarpa Kütz. (Various-leaved Water-starwort) - Wetland Scarce A scarce species; scattered over the region in ponds, rhynes, rivers and streams. First identified locally from Sodbury Common in 1955 Dr. H.J.M. Bowen.

  • Callitriche obtusangula Le Gall (Blunt-fruited Water-starwort) - Wetland Scarce Our second most frequent Water-starwort; concentrated in rhynes around the North Somerset Levels and Moors and very sparsely scattered elsewhere in ponds and streams.

  • Callitriche brutia Petagna (Pedunculate Water-starwort) Wetland Very Rare Found in deeper water than our other Water-starworts. See subspecies for details.

  • ssp. brutia (Pedunculate Water-starwort) Wetland Extinct The nominate plant with leaves not abruptly expanded at the apex and fruits usually longer than wide. Historically recorded from "Ponds on Yate Common and Yate Lower Common, 1910...C. Bucknall."

  • ssp. hamulata (Kütz. ex W.D.J. Koch) O. Bolòs & Vigo (C. hamulata Kütz. ex W.D.J. Koch) Lansdown (Intermediate Water-starwort) Wetland Very Rare With submerged leaves abruptly expanded at the apex with a deep notch and more or less rounded fruits (when viewed side-on). Only recently recorded at Clapton Moor in 2004 by P. Millman. It was historically more frequent and widely scattered across the region.

Yate Common in 1928 by C.I. Sandwith horsepond at Wickwar in 1985 and 1986 by M.C. Reiss Sutton Court Estate in 1985 by R. Janes Goosard Bridge in 1985 by C. Matthews Pound House Farm in 1986 by C. & M.A.R. Kitchen.

List:

  • Hippuris vulgaris L. (Mare's-tail) /- Wetland
  • Callitriche truncata Guss. ssp. occidentalis (Rouy) Braun-Blanq. (Short-leaved Water-starwort) Wetland
  • Callitriche stagnalis Scop. (Common Water-starwort) / Wetland
  • Callitriche platycarpa Kütz. (Various-leaved Water-starwort) - Wetland
  • Callitriche obtusangula Le Gall (Blunt-fruited Water-starwort) - Wetland
  • Callitriche brutia Petagna ssp. hamulata (Kütz. ex W.D.J. Koch) O. Bolòs & Vigo (Stace) Callitriche hamulata Kütz. ex W.D.J. Koch + Callitriche brutia Petagna var. hamulata (Kütz. ex W.D.J. Koch) Lansdown (NBN) (Intermediate Water-starwort) Wetland