Seasonal Wild Flowers

Water Chickweed

Myosoton aquaticum

Caryophyllaceae

June to October

It is found throughout most of the country, but is scattered

or absent in the far Southwest and the North.

See the BSBI distribution map for Water Chickweed

It grows in damp woods, fields and ditches, and by

rivers, streams, canals, ponds and marshes.

Water Chickweed is a native, straggly, fragile, clambering,

perennial herb, growing up to a 1m.

The winter form is prostrate.

Flowers are up to 1.5cm across with glandular stems.

They have 5, white, deeply cleft petals.

They are protanderous with 10 stamens with blue-grey

anthers.

There are 5 linear styles and the fruit is a globular capsule.

Sepals are glandular

Leaves are opposite, pointed ovals, and slightly hairy.

The lower leaves are wavy edged.

Previous page: Wall Lettuce
Next page: Water Figwort

Water Chickweed, Somerset Levels

Linear styles and grey-blue anthers

Side view of 10 stamens

Styles and globular ovule

Glandular sepals, upper stem and leaves

Wavy edged lower leaves of Water

Chickweed growing in a Black Currant field

Zig-zag stem and opposite leaves