Baldellia ranunculoides Lesser Water-plantain

Baldellia ranunculoides, Lesser Water-plantain, is an attractive, perennial water-plantain which has undergone a significant decrease in its distribution in Britain in recent decades. The white, 3-petalled flowers are larger and more conspicuous than those of other water-plantains and the buttercup-like fruits are distinctive. The leaves emit a sharp smell when crushed which will distinguish them from the leaves of Alisma species. It grows in the wet edges of pools, ponds and canals and also in dune slacks. It has only a few sites in West Glamorgan and where it does occur its appearance and abundance is variable or uncertain from year to year. The conservation status and vulnerability of this species is probably underestimated.

Native