I've been noticing these pretty, purple-flowered bloom spikes lording it over a gravel bar in the middle of a stretch of the Pawcatuck River just below the Potter Hill Dam in Ashaway, and this afternoon, on the way into Westerly, I stopped the car by the edge of the water, donned my chest-high waders, and went for a "walk" through the shallows to check out the plants. From a distance, I thought they might be something exotic, but when I finally sloshed my way to the minor "island," I discovered that the blossoms belonged to a plant that many conservation organizations have dubbed "public botanical enemy Number One"... or, depending on your inclination, two or three. A wetland full of Purple Loosestrife in acres of full bloom is indeed a gorgeous sight, but it is a chilling one, too, since Lythrum salicaria, which is native to Europe and Asia, has become an ultra-aggressive pest since its introduction into this country in the early-nineteenth century. The plant can take over vast stretches of marsh and swamp and just about eliminate all competitors, to the detriment of wildlife. Next time, I'd better bring my clippers.