Plants

Plants found within the Fleet lagoon

These are not seaweeds but true flowering marine plants that grow in the shallow, sheltered waters. Adapted to low-energy environments, they anchor themselves in soft sediments and form underwater meadows. 

These plants play an important ecological role by stabilising the sediment, improving water quality, and supporting many fish and invertebrate species, even though they may go unnoticed by most people.

Common Eelgrass - Zostera marina
Dwarf Eelgrass - Zostera noltei
Foxtail Stonewort - Lamprothamnium papulosum
Beaked Tasselweed - Ruppia maritima
Spiral Tasselweed - Ruppia spiralis

Plants found in the saltmarsh areas of the Fleet 

These zones are regularly exposed as the tide falls. Any plant that grows here must cope with fluctuating water levels, high salinity, and periods of complete submersion followed by drying.

Saltmarsh species are specially adapted to survive in these harsh conditions, often developing features such as fleshy, salt-tolerant leaves, deep or stabilising root systems, and the ability to store or expel excess salt. These hardy plants help stabilise the shoreline, trap sediment, and create important feeding and nursery areas for wildlife.

Annual Sea-blite - Suaeda maritima
Shrubby Sea-blite - Suaeda vera
Greater Sea-spurrey - Spergularia media
Perennial Glasswort - Sarcocornia perennis
Saltmarsh Rush - Juncus gerardii
Sea Beet - Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima
Sea Purslane - Atriplex portulacoides

Plants growing on Chesil and along the fringes of the Fleet

Species adapted to the unique shingle and coastal environment can withstand shifting stones, salt spray, strong winds, and low nutrients. Their specialised roots and low, resilient growth forms allow them to anchor themselves in the loose shingle and support a hardy coastal plant community.

Biting Stonecrop - Sedum acre
Bittersweet aka. Woody Nightshade - Solanum dulcamara
Buck's-horn Plantain - Plantago coronopus
Cock's-foot - Dactylis glomerata
Common Bird's-foot Trefoil - Lotus corniculatus
Common Centaury - Centaurium erythraea
Common Mallow - Malva sylvestris
Common Mouse-ear - Cerastium fontanum
Common Reed - Phragmites australis
Common Restharrow - Ononis repens
Creeping Thistle - Cirsium arvense
Curled Dock - Rumex crispus
Dandelion - Taraxacum agg.
Danish Scurvy-grass - Cochlearia danica
False Oat-grass - Arrhenatherum elatius
Field Bindweed - Convolvulus arvensis
Four-leaved Allseed - Polycarpon tetraphyllum
Hare's-foot Clover - Trifolium arvense
Herb Robert - Geranium robertianum
Kidney Vetch - Anthyllis vulneraria
Marsh-mallow - Althaea officinalis
Perennial Sow-thistle - Sonchus arvensis
Portland Spurge - Euphorbia portlandica
Prickly Sowthistle - Sonchus asper
Red Fescue - Festuca rubra
Red Valerian - Centranthus ruber
Ribwort Plantain - Plantago lanceolata
Rock Samphire - Crithmum maritimum
Rough Clover - Trifolium scabrum
Scarlet Pimpernel - Lysimachia arvensis
Sea Aster - Tripolium pannonicum
Sea Campion - Silene uniflora
Sea Couch - Elymus athericus
Sea Kale - Crambe maritima
Sea Mayweed - Tripleurospermum maritimum
Sea Mouse-ear - Cerastium diffusum
Sea Pea - Lathyrus japonicus
Sea Radish - Raphanus raphanistrum ssp. maritimus
Sea Sandwort - Honckenya peploides
Sea Spurge - Euphorbia paralias
Silver Hair-grass - Aira caryophyllea
Slender Tare - Ervum gracile
Spear-leaved - Orache Atriplex prostrata
Thrift - Armeria maritima
Tree Mallow - Malva arborea
Wild Carrot - Daucus carota ssp. carota
Wild Parsnip - Pastinaca sativa ssp. sylvestris
Wild Thyme - Thymus drucei
Yellow-horned Poppy - Glaucium flavum
Yorkshire Fog - Holcus lanatus