Corky-fruited Water-dropwort (Oenanthe pimpinelloides)

Now this member of the carrot family, the umbellifers, is far from common. In fact this is something of a Dorset speciality growing on clay based grasslands, south of the Thames and usually by the sea. That means Durslton, Portland and so on are among the few places it is found in the country, let alone the county.

Unlike many others in the group, Corky-fruited Water-dropwort has a very dense flower head. The others tend to be more fragmented with the flowers in clusters and with the clusters forming bigger areas of flower.

The other feature of this plant, if you take the trouble to look, is that it has a swollen corky base to the stem.

Corky-fruited is in flower now and will be until August.

Comments