Can anyone identify this grass growing in the draw down zone / margins of our pond?

[alfvenwave]

Hello, do any of the veterans out there know what this grass is? It's gradually colonising the draw down zone of our new "wildlife" pond. It's "creeping", living in about 4 or 5" of clay on top of the liner. It's very happy submerged in 5" of water - it's quite attractive as a specimen (less so as a matt) with a bright red stem at the base, it seems to grow about 6" out of the water before it forms a pretty head. It must be native (to the UK), however I just want to check that it's not going to dominate (whatever it is). Any ideas, please throw them our way....

Kind regards,

Rob.

 

[Waterbug]

I'll guess Phleum phleoides?

 

[alfvenwave]

Possibly - looks about right -thanks for the suggestion. I've got a contact at the Environment Agency (with an amusingly apt surname - "Flood") who I think I'll send a sample to (together with our Stonewort to find out which variety we've acquired). We've had a few more interesting things appear recently - I'll try to find time to post photos to see if anyone can identify them. I saw our first "swimming" newt today - until now, I've only seen them in their terrestrial form (hiding in our irrigation boxes - I love the way the play dead). Been a really nice day here in the UK - I could do with a hat like yours to stop my head burning (as the plants in our pond thicken up, my hair does the opposite).....Have a great day, Rob.

 

[Waterbug]

I've been reading and posting in pond forums for somewhere around 20 years, been a long time serious gardener. In that time I've made many guesses about kinds of plants people post. I have a perfect record so far...zero correct. But I still like to play. Who knows, this could be the one.