Chara canescens Bearded Stonewort

A simple water plant with whorls of narrow leaf-like branches along its length, and covered with dense spines. It grows in ponds and pools near the sea in slightly salty water.

It flourishes in several ponds near Peterborough and there is one small colony in the Western Isles. Smothering by stronger water plants, particularly invasive aliens, is probably the main threat, but another is from nutrient enrichment of the water from fertilisers.

Classified as Critically Endangered.