Watercress (Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum)

Edibility:Edible Excellent

Eating notes:This is the same plant that is sold in expensive little bags in the supermarkets. Use for salads, soups and sauces.

Special note: There is a special consideration when collecting watercress - liver fluke. This is a dangerous parasite whose eggs may sometimes be present on the plants. The plants are safe if they are in an area where livestock have no access to the plants and no access upstream of the plants. If in any doubt don't eat raw. Cooked watercress (i.e. soup) will be safe from liver fluke.

Watercress, as the name suggests, is found in water - usually gravelly flowing streams. They can be seen sprawling partly in and partly above the water.

Leaves: Leaf stems contain pairs of oval slightly toothed hairless leaflets and a single terminal leaflet.

Flowers: Flower stems with small white 4-petalled flowers opening gradually along its length.

Stems: Creeping fleshy tender branching stems

Other: Seed pods, 3cm long and cylindrical, can often be seen developing on the flower stems below the open flowers.

Look-a-likes: Fools watercress is the main look-a-like. This plant is a member of the carrot family and can be distinguished by its flowers being in small umbels rather than opening along a central flower stem (as with true watercress).