Identification
This naturalized perennial was introduced from Eurasia. Often submerged or floating, this fleshy plant may also rise to 1-2 feet above the water. The compound leaves are divided into 3-9 odd-numbered, rounded leaflets (A). The small, white flowers have four petals; they are found in clusters (racemes) at the end of branching stems (B). Fruit is a slightly curved slender pod.
This plant was abundant on the flood plains of both FF and NW in the spring of 2012, a result of the floods of the previous year which deposited large amounts of silt and sand. The bare, moist mud flats and drying sand bars provided ideal growing conditions for large numbers of individual plants and occasional ‘colonies’. In more normal years look for it in shallow, cold, usually running water like the seeps, springs and ditches at the base of the bluffs in Fontenelle Forest. Flowering occurs season-long from April to September.
This plant was harvested by European settlers for its pungent taste in salads and cooked meals. It also has a long history of use in treating a variety of ailments such as scurvy. Watercress is known to be rich in vitamins A and C, but it should not be harvested from polluted waters, because it absorbs and concentrates heavy metals and other toxins.
The content of NatureSearch is provided by dedicated volunteer Naturalists of Fontenelle Forest who strive to provide the most accurate information available. Contributors of the images retain their copyrights. The point of contact for this page is: Roland Barth.