Waterlily

"Yellow Pondlily" (Nuphar lutea ssp. variegata)

2008 May 30

2008 May 30

2008 June 22

2008 June 22

2008 June 22

2008 June 22

Notice that this pond lily has yellow stamens while it's kissin' cousin (Nuphar luteum ssp. polysepalum) has reddish or purplish stamens.

2008 June 22

2008 June 22

2008 July 15

2008 July 15

2008 July 15

2008 October 29

2009 October 6
Rhizome

2009 October 6

Close up of Rhisome

First Nations collected the rhizomes, peeled, sliced and air-dried them for storage. They would later re-hydrate them and use them as a poultice for aching joints and skin ulcers.

Water Knotweed

Water Knotweed (Polygonum amphibium var. stipulaceum)

2008 August 3

2008 August 3

Out paddling on one of the lakes this day I saw a flash of pink in near the shore so I had D put in. Water Knotweed is what we found!

An interesting use, the flower was used as bait for trout! Medicinal uses for this plant can be found at this site, some of which are:

* an infusion of leaves and stems used for children with diarrhea
* an infusion used for stomach pain
* roots used to treat chest colds
* a root decoction used for mouth sores

Wapato

Wapato (Sagittaria latifolia)

2009 July 22

2009 July 22

2009 July 22

2009 July 22

I saw this plant while camping in the Quesnel area of the Cariboo.  I have not ound it within walking are of our home but did find some out at Lake Timothy ... within a reasonable range of our area but already in a slightly different weather belt.

Ducks and muskrats eat the starchy tubers of this plant. The tubers are also edible to humans and are also called "lower valley potato" or "swamp potato". Baked, the tubers and are said to taste somewhat like chestnuts.

Wapato means "arrowhead".

Pondweed, Floating

"Floating Pondweed" (Potamogeton natans)

2008 July 15

2008 July 15

Mare's Tail

"Common Mare's Tail" (Hippuris vulgaris)

2007 June 18

2007 September 17

2008 July 15

2008 July 15

This is a perennial propagating mostly by rhizome. It lives in shallow waters (preferably non acidic), and mud flats in sunny locations. It can become a troublesome weed.

Old time herbalists used it:

• to stop internal bleeding
• for stomach ulcers
• to strenthen the intestines
• to close wounds
• for skin inflammations and breakouts
• for coughs

It is also said to absorb large quantities of marsh gas, thus helping to purify the air around marshes.

Bur-reed

"European Bur-Reed" (Sparganium emersum)

2008 July 15

2008 July 15

2008 July 15

Bladderwort

"Greater or Common Bladderwort"
(Utricularia macrorhiza)

2008 July 14

2008 July 14

2008 July 14

2008 July 14

2008 July 14

Here is an interesting excerpt from the book "Plants of Southern Interior British Columbia and the Inland Northwest" about how this plant operates:

"The genus name is from the Latin utriculus, 'a little bag,' and refers to the air bladders. The bladders are borne on specialized, leafless branches. They have trap doors and trigger hairs, which serve to trap aquatic insects that then provide the plants with a supplementary source of nitrogen."

Bladderwort has no known food value to wildlife.