Ranunculus

Ranunculus is the favourite aquatic weed of fly fishers as it is a sign of a healthy chalk stream with fairly clean water and a good flow. It also provides vital cover for fish and especially the insect life they depend on. In the book there are several classic shots of long fonds of ranunculus seen through clear water.
The weed is usually cut two or three times a year for a number of reasons. More of this another time. Usually to is cut before much of it has flowered. The reason being that after flowering it dies off and prevents much life below and restricts regrowth. 
The two images above from the Avon show the pretty buttercup sized flowers I found two weeks ago in May 2020. Note the insect on the flower in the top image. In the image below, if you look carefully, the surface of the weed is teeming with insects. 
In the next post I will show a wider landscape image of flowering ranunculus.