—=516 LYTHRARIEZ (Sond.) [Lythrum. 
Il. LYTHRUM, Linn. 
Calyx bracteated at the base, cylindrical, striated, with 8-12 teeth, 
of which from 4-6 are broader than the rest, and erect; the others 
smaller and spreading. Petals 4-6, inserted in the orifice of the calyx, 
alternating with its erect teeth. Stamens inserted in the middle, or at 
the base of the tube of the calyx, twice as numerous as the petals, or 
occasionally fewer. Style filiform ; stigma capitate. Capsule oblong, 
included in the calyx, 2-celled, many-seeded. Placentas thick, adnate 
to the dissepiment. Endl. Gen. n. 1649. 
Herbs or suffruticose plants, with entire leaves and axillary, purple or purplish 
flowers. Name from AvOpov, black-blood ; from the purple colour of the flowers. 
ANALYSIS OF THE SPECIES. 
«Leaves bluntish ; peduncles axillary, subsessile, 1-flowered ; 
Leaves bluntish ; peduncles axillary, nearly as long as the 
leaves, 1-flowered ; stamens 12 a = ... (3) rigidulum. 
Leaves acute ; peduncles axillary-corymbose ; stamens 4... (2) sagittefolium. 
1. L. hyssopifolium (Linn. spec. 642); leaves linear-lanceolate, 
bluntish ; lower ones opposite and often oblong, upper ones alternate ; 
flowers axillary, solitary, nearly sessile, each with a pair of very small 
bracts at the base; stamens 6. Jacq. flor. Austr. t. 133. Smith Engl. 
Bot. t. 292. L. thymifolium, hyssopif. et tenellum, E. § Z.1 1769-1771. 
Herb, Un. itin. 495. 
Var. B. acutifolium, DC. Prod. 3, p. 82, leaves all or the upper ones acutish. L. 
thymifolium, Hoffm. fl. germ. 213, but not of Lann. 
Van. ¥. latifolium, all the leaves oblong, at the base obtuse or attenuated. L. 
tenellum, Thunb. / fl. cap. 400. L. hyssopif. var. 8? tenellum, DC. l. c. 
Has. Wet places or in rivulets near Capetown, in Uitenhage, Stellenbosch, Cale- 
don, &e. Nov.—Jan. (Herb. Th., Sd., D., &c.) 
Stem erect or at the base prostrate, 1-14 inch high, much-branched, glabrous. 
Lower or larger leaves 8-10 lines long, 2 lines wide, upper ones 4-6 lines long, 1% 
line broad. Calyx about 2 lineslong. Petals 6, small, light purple. Capsule oblong. 
L. tenellum, Thunb., differs only from the typical form by the larger (6-8 lines long, 
2 lines broad) leaves, which are attenuated at the base in young specimens as 
gathered by Thunberg. 
(1) hyssopifolium. 
_2. L, sagitteefolium (Sond. in Linnea, Vol. 23, p. 41) ; stem suffru- 
ticose, pubescent-scabrid ; leaves sessile, erect-adpressed, oblong-lanceo- 
late, acute, sagittate at the base, with recurved margins, scabrous above, 
smooth beneath ; corymbs axillary, pedunculate, longer than the leaves, 
3-5-flowered ; flowers 4-petalous, 4-androus; pedicels and. calyx 
minutely pubescent. 
Has. Boggy places near Magalisberg, Nov., Zeyher, ; erb, Sd., D. 
A small Berens Stem Lg! aoe Seaaties Anquan: pan % lines long, a the 
base 2 lines wide, those of branches subimbricate. Peduncle of the corymbs 
2-3 lines long ; pedicels 1 line long, bracteolated. Calyx striated, 1} line long, 4 
teeth acutish, 4 minute, corniform. Petals obovate, light-purple, 2 lines long. 
boeing exserted, glabrous as the style. Capsule covered by the calyx, glabrous, 
i- . 
3. Lfrigidulum (Sond. |. c. p. 42); stem suffruticulose, at the base 
branched ; branches and opposite leaves scabrid ; leaves sessile; oblong- 
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