FLOWERING RUSH

Butomus Umbellatus

Flowering-Rush Family [Butomaceae]  

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flower
flower8bicolour		 flower
flower8white		 inner
inner8red		 morph
morph8actino		 petals
petalsZ3		 type
typeZumbel		 stem
stem8round

30th July 2007, Huddersfield, Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Photo: © RWD


Midsummers Day! 24th June 2006, Wyrley & Essington Canal. Photo: © RWD
Stands up to 5 feet tall, growing in shallow water. The leaves are long and narrow, grass-like, tapering gradually to a point.


30th July 2007, Huddersfield, Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Photo: © RWD
The flowers emerge onion-style like bulbils from a clove which consisted of three pointed green bracts.


30th July 2007, Huddersfield, Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Photo: © RWD
The bulbils open a few at a time forming a flat-topped umbel. The flowers are all at the top on 2 inch red-coloured stalks. The three bracts which encompassed them wither and die. Unopened flowers resemble miniature tulips. Note bee nectaring top left.


30th July 2007, Huddersfield, Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Photo: © RWD
Flowers on the periphery seem to open first.


30th July 2007, Huddersfield, Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Photo: © RWD
As yet un-opened buds wrapped in three semi-spiralling brownish-red bracts.


24th June 2006, Wyrley & Essington Canal, BCN. Photo: © RWD
The flowers have three wide almost white rose-pink petals set at 120°, and three narrower and deeper magenta sepals behind and between them. It erroneously looks like there are 6 petals.


24th June 2006, Wyrley & Essington Canal, BCN. Photo: © RWD
There are nominally nine rose-red coloured stamens bearing bright yellow pollen. Six brighter magenta carpels with white tips at the centre destined to become the follicles of the fruit. Only one style.


30th July 2007, Huddersfield, Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Photo: © RWD
The flowers soon lose their prime.


30th July 2007, Huddersfield, Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Photo: © RWD
The fruits enlarge on ripening flowers. Bee dips in for a drink of nectar.


30th July 2007, Huddersfield, Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Photo: © RWD
Becoming very ripe with the fruit consisting of six follicles reminiscent of those of Dwarf Willow.


30th July 2007, Huddersfield, Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Photo: © RWD
The leaves are grass-like with a 'V' cross-section, long and narrow, gradually tapering to a point.

Some similarities to: Rosy Garlic (Allium roseum) and a member of the Garlic group of flowers which also has bulbils of flower buds arising from a single casing atop a single stem. This also has 3 + 3 pinkish petals/sepals.

Despite its common name, Flowering Rush is not a member of the rushes or sedges families.

Flowering-Rush is the one and only member of the Flowering-Rush family. It is a tall handsome plant growing up to 5 feet tall and is fresh-water aquatic and grows in profusion at the waters edge of canals and ponds etc. The numerous flowers which are at the top of the plant present a cup-shaped appearance have three pink petals interspersed by three darker red pink sepals. The Leaves are long, stiff and grass-like with a 'V' cross-section for stiffness.

Not to be confused symantically with : Flowering-Nutmeg

Habitat includes sitting in shallow ponds, edges of canals or ditches and riversides. It is usually an escapee.

Flowering Rush is bisexual.

In some parts of the world Flowering Rush is regarded as an invasive weed to be controlled, but in the UK it doesn't present much of a problem. In fact, some books list it as a rare and protected species, not to be destroyed, in the UK.

A green dye can be extracted from this plant.

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Distribution
family8Flowering-Rush family8Butomaceae
BSBI maps
genus8Butomus
Butomus

FLOWERING RUSH

Butomus Umbellatus

Flowering-Rush Family [Butomaceae]