The Water's Edge

Whether it is the shore of an ocean, the edge of a pond or a lake, or the bank of a river; the water's edge is ecologically unique and vital. Life forms of all kinds live here that can live nowhere else, as well as others that could live elsewhere, but much prefer to be where water and land meet and overlap: the wetlands.

Here is just a small sample of the plants growing along the bank of the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River:

These first two photos are Water-primrose (Ludwigia peploides), growing in great abundance along the riverbank.

The next three photos are Curlytop Knotweed (Polygonum lapathifolium).

This photo is Torrey Rush (Juncus torreyi). This is a true rush in the Juncaceae Family. Based on my own personal observation, this is one of the most common rushes growing in the wetland areas in Bexar County.

These last two photos are where things get complicated. These are two species of Bulrushes. Bulrushes, however, aren't rushes. They are sedges in the Cyperaceae Family. I don't know enough about them to take the identification any further.

The first photo in this series was taken on the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River downstream from the Roosevelt Park Trailhead on Friday, September 13, 2013. All the other photos were taken on the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River near the VFW Blvd Trailhead on Monday, September 30, 2013.