This is a very thin and straggly plant found as you would expect at the edges of ponds or in damp and boggy areas. It can have up to six leaves per whorl but usually has four and the flowers are quite small and insignificant.

G. palustre can easily be missed but is actually very common throughout the British Isles and Ireland.

Frodsham marshes 14th June 2005

Added on October 31st 2005, updated 20th January 2009 updated 31st March 2010