Branched Bur-reed - Sparganium erectum

Medium to tall robust erect plant to 1.5 metres. Leaves usually erect, occasionally floating. Inflorescence branched, but individual flower clusters unstalked. The male clusters above and the female clusters on lateral branches.

Unbranched Bur-reed has flowers in a single, unbranched spike. The leaf spikes of the genus can be distinguished from other similar plants, such as Bulrush and Yellow Flag, by the brown tips, particularly later in the season.

Freshwater margins.

July and August.

Perennial.

Fairly common in England and Wales, less so in northern Scotland.

Common in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 409 of the 617 tetrads.