Marginal Plant ID?

[beyond the blue]

Can anyone name this pond marginal plant for me? It has small purple clumps of flowers like cotton wool balls (no petals) similar to Rush flower in the leaf axis all along the stems it doesn't flower at the end of the stems. It droops when it gets not much bigger than in the picture and flowers around July & August. It is similar in appearance to Rosemary but I don't think it is.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Welcome to UKAPS.

It looks like Gratiola sp. <"https://idtools.org/appw/index.cfm?packageID=2197&entityID=10317">. but

It has small purple clumps of flowers like cotton wool balls (no petals) similar to Rush flower in the leaf axis all along the stems

the flower description would seem to indicate an Alternanthera sp. <"https://idtools.org/appw/index.cfm?packageID=2197&entityID=10276">.

cheers Darrel

 

[beyond the blue]

Hi all,
Welcome to UKAPS.

It looks like Gratiola sp. <"https://idtools.org/appw/index.cfm?packageID=2197&entityID=10317">. but

the flower description would seem to indicate an Alternanthera sp. <"https://idtools.org/appw/index.cfm?packageID=2197&entityID=10276">.

cheers Darrel

Thanks but I don't think its that. The plant stays green unlike your picture and the flowers have no petals, more like this top of the thistle although a lot smaller. I really don't know how to explain it . Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the actual plant in flower.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

and the flowers have no petals, more like this top of the thistle although a lot smaller.

I was thinking about Pogostemon stellatus, right colour, wrong flower <"https://www.guitarfish.org/category/emersed-plants">.

It sounds like a composite (Asteraceae), but I can't think of a suitable one. Ageratum spp. have a suitable flower, but it is in a terminal raceme etc.

Eclipta might be an option<"https://idtools.org/appw/index.cfm?packageID=1130&entityID=4903">?

cheers Darrel