Common name:
Hemlock water-dropwort
Family:
Scientific name:
Oenanthe crocata
Main flower color:
Range:
Mostly across the south and west of the UK; widespread but local
Height:
Up to 140 cm
Habitat:
Marshes, ditches, damp meadows, streambanks
Flowers:
Small, white, with five petals, notched at the tip, and five stamens topped by conspicuous purple anthers; in compound umbels (with between 10 and 40 rays, relatively long and narrow), the individual clusters compact, hemispherical, and quite well separated from each other. Bracts and bracteoles are present, but tend to wither early. Stems are hairless and ridged
Leaves:
Pinnately divided between two and four times into narrow, oval leaflets with tapered bases and blunt-toothed tips - stem and basal leaves are similar. Leaflet tips are often red
Season:
June to August
Rarity:
★★★★★
