Pendulous Sedge
Carex pendula

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio     Pendulous Sedge , photographed on 17th April 2008.

This graceful plant is confined to the shady areas of Rodwell Cutting, but also grows in many gardens as well as in woods all over Dorset. It spreads very quickly, and you can see why from this photo. The male flower at the top is producing millions of pollen grains and releasing them straight onto the female flower below. These soon prosuce huge numbers of tiny seeds, each of which can grow into a new plant.