Small Water-pepper

A jaunt across the border to VC54 to visit the extremely large population of Small Water-pepper on West Common, Lincoln with two friends. 

Small Water-pepper is an annual herb of wet marshy places, winter-flooded ground beside ponds, lakes and ditches, or damp pastures trampled by stock. Despite its IUCN status of Vulnerable in Great Britain, monitoring of its populations has demonstrated that, as a species with a long-lived seed bank, absence in one year does not necessarily equate with permanent loss, especially if site conditions are unsuitable in some years due to, for example, high water-levels and a subsequent lack of bare, damp mud. Its overall status appears stable.


It wasn't the only star of the show, with good populations of Devil's-bit Scabious, Marsh Cudweed, Bifid Hemp-nettle, Water-purslane and Heath Groundsel - all acidophilous species that are quite rare in South Lincolnshire.


Our walk was followed by a splendid lunch in C's garden, and then C and I (and her lovely collie, Flynn) went for another walk to Cow Paddle Common where we found even more interesting species. A splendid day out!