LOOSESTRIFE FAMILY 



LYTHRACE^: LOOSESTRIFE FAMILY 



Ly thrum Salicaria, L. 



Purple-magenta Purple Loosestrife, Soldiers, 



Spiked Loosestrife, Long Purples, 



June-August Spiked Willow-herb, Washington's Plume 



(Local name). 



Lythrum: from Greek for blood, possibly in allusion to the 



plant's property of stopping bleeding. 

 Salicaria: Latin for willow-like. 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: wet meadows. 



THE PLANT: erect, two feet high or higher, much branched 

 above; the stem without hair or with short, soft ones. 



THE LEAVES: opposite or sometimes in three's; lanceolate; 

 practically smooth; acute at the apex; heart-shaped at the 

 base; sessile; entire. 



THE FLOWERS: in circles around the stem, with green 

 bracts interrupting the spike; petals long; calyx greenish, 

 with few, short, soft hairs; stamen and style of three differ- 

 ent lengths. 



THE FRUIT: a capsule. 



This is a member of a family, which for the sake of its 

 handsome flowers, deserves attention. It bears heavy 

 sprays of deep magenta flowers that grow on only one side 

 of the long stem. Possibly these are the Long Purples 

 which Ophelia wove into garlands. 



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