Rare plant discovered on Somerset Levels after 100-year absence

A nationally rare plant not recorded in Somerset since 1914 has been spotted on the Somerset Levels by botanists.

The lesser water plantain was found near the ancient man-made Sweet Track by the Somerset Rare Plants Group.

Chairman Stephen Parker said: "It's a sign that the work Natural England are doing on this one particular ditch, which we call the best ditch in Somerset, is working pretty well."

The ditch is also home to six other rare plants due to its water quality.

"The seed's probably always been there, but now because of recent clearance work, it's come back up again and flowered.

"Poor water quality can be a major issue for the plant," added Mr Parker.

The group works in conjunction with Natural England and the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland by mapping where rare plants grow in order to conserve and protect them.

The Sweet Track is an ancient timber trackway that runs between Shapwick and Westhay.

The ditch, whose location is kept secret, is about 328ft (100m) in length.

"Natural England pumps water on to the Sweet Track, to conserve the very rare archaeology but it's also conserving a range of very rare plants," Mr Parker said.

Conditions are also favourable as the ditch is not connected to other waterways, where water quality can be affected by the run-off of fertilisers and other contaminants from agricultural fields and sewage works.

The ditch is also home to six other nationally rare plants: Lesser marshwort; Marsh stitchwort; Marsh cinquefoil; Bladderwort; Frogbit and the Marsh fern.