Predators hunt it relentlessly. The predator is a faster cousin. Native watercress is a wild relative of introduced watercress. It has a similar peppery flavour but is less common. The leaves and stems are edible. They can be used in salads, sandwiches and soups. It grows in wetlands, stream banks and damp areas. It is threatened by habitat loss and competition from introduced watercress. Which is more aggressive. A native losing ground to a faster cousin. The leaves are divided into several pairs of leaflets. There is a larger terminal leaflet. They are dark green and glossy. They are similar to introduced watercress but smaller and more finely divided. The stems are hollow and ribbed. They root at the nodes when they contact wet soil. A plant that spreads by touching the ground. The flowers are small and yellow. They appear in summer. They are followed by slender pods that contain the seeds. Water disperses the seeds. They float on the surface of streams and wetlands. A plant that travels with the current. Native watercress is less common than introduced watercress. The introduced species has become naturalised in many waterways. It is more aggressive. It outcompetes the native in many areas. Native watercress is also threatened by habitat loss. Wetlands are drained for agriculture and urban development. A plant that is losing the race. To find native watercress is to search the edges of wetlands and streams. Look for the small, peppery leaves. Look for the yellow flowers. Look for the creeping stems. It is a plant of the clean water. A sign of a healthy stream. Where it grows, the water is likely clean and unpolluted. The stream is clear. The watercress grows along the edge. Small and peppery. The introduced cousin is not far away. Larger. Faster. Taking over. The native does not fight back. It just grows. It has been here longer. It hopes that counts for something. Populations are considered stable but localised. The species is common in wetlands throughout New Zealand. It is threatened by habitat loss and competition from introduced watercress. Protection of wetlands is important. Water pollution and degradation are also threats. Climate change affects wetland habitats.