- There are two kinds of marsh: freshwater marshes and saltwater marshes.
- Freshwater marshes occur in low-lying ground alongside rivers and lakes where the water level is always near the soil surface.
- Freshwater marshes are dominated by plants such as rushes, reeds and sedges.
- Sedges are like grass but have solid triangular stems. They grow in damp places near the water’s edge.
- Rushes have long cylindrical leaves and grow in tussocks in damp places along the bank.
- Reeds are tall grasses with round stems, flat leaves and purplish flowers. They grow in dense beds in open water.
- Free-floating plants like duckweed and frogbit are common in marshes. In rivers they’d be washed away.
- Water horsetails are relics of plants that dominated the vast swamps of the Carboniferous Period 300 million years ago.
- Saltwater marshes are flooded twice daily by salty seawater. Cordgrasses and salt-meadow grass are common. Reeds and rushes grow where it is least salty.
- Where mud is firm, glasswort and seablite take root. Further from the water sea aster and purslane grow. On high banks, sea lavender, sea plantain and thrift bloom.
Originally posted 2010-03-15 18:17:25. Republished by Blog Post Promoter