reedmace

As we walk around Tumbleton Lake we see plenty of reedmace but not much of it seems to be catching Rob's eye.

The aquatic vegetation harvested includes sharp-pointed rush (Juncus acutus), common reed (Phragmites australis), reedmace (Typha angustifolia), and bulrush (Scirpus lacustris).

LAURA HANNA, 21 Reedmace Close, Kings Norton, Birmingham B38 9QZ

Only the hardy emergent species such as common reed and reedmace can survive in these conditions, eventually leading to poor habitat diversity.

In brackish waters reed, reedmace, and bulrush beds form stands that can be exploited and where some crops may be cultivated.

Since June last year, members of the Brandon Marsh Voluntary Conservation Team have spent more than 1,300 man hours planting reed stems and removing invasive willow trees and reedmace to encourage reed growth.

Stems of reedmace were poked in the ground all around the sand mound like dark poplars.

Rare plants including the lesser reedmace, lesser water parsnip and water dock are threatened by the lowering of the water table of the marsh by dredging.

In the freshwater lakes, the helophytic vegetation consists of beds of club-rushes, reeds, and reedmaces, with club-rush (Scirpus lacustris), common reed (Phragmites australis [=communis]), and the narrow-leaved bulrush (Typha angustifolia) together with variable patches of yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus) accompanied by the white water-lily (Nymphaea alba) and Sparganium erectum.