960 LII. LYTHRACEiE. Ltthrum. 



1. AMMANNIA. 



Named inhonor of John Ammann, native of Siberia, prof, ofbot. St. Petersburg. 



Calyx campanulate. 4 — 5-toothed or lobecl, generally with as many 

 horn-like processes alternating with the lobes ; petals 4 or 5, often ; 

 stamens as many, rarely twice as man}^ as the calyx lobes ; capsule 

 2 — 4-celled, many-seeded. — ® Li wet places. Sis. square and Its. oppo- 

 sitej entire. Fls. axillary. 



1. A. HUMiLis. Michx. CA. ramosior. Linn.^ Lov- Ammannia. 



Si. branched trom the base, ascending; Ivs. linear-oblong or lanceolate, 

 obtuse, tapering at base into a short petiole ; Jls. solitary, closely sessile, all the 

 parts in 4s ; 5^//. very short. — An ob.scure and humble plant in wet places, Ct. to 

 Ga. W. to Oregon. Stems square, procumbent at base, 6 — 10' high. Flowers 

 minute, one in the axil of each leaf, with 4 purplish, caducous petals. Calyx 

 with 4 short, horn-like processes, alternating with the 4 short lobes of the limb. 

 Aug. Sept. 



p. (T. & G. A. ramosior. Miclix.) — Lvs. subsessile, cordate-sagittate at base ; 

 fls. about 3 in each of the lower axils, solitary above. — In N. J., where, it is said 

 by T. & G., to grow with and pass into the other variety. 



2. A. LATiFOLiA. (A. ramosior. Linn.) 



St. erect, branching; lis. linear-lanceolate, dilated and auriculated at the 

 sessile base ; /s. crowded and apparently verticillate, upper .sub.solitary and 

 pedunculate; cal. 4-angled, 4-horned; scp., pet., sta. and cells of capsule 4. — Wet 

 prairies. Western States. Stem 1 — 2fhigh. Leaves 2 — 3'b3^2 — 5". Flowers 

 purple. Jl. — Sept. 



2. LYTHRUM. 



Gr. \v^pov, black blood ; referring to the color of the flower. 



Calyx cylindrical, striate, limb 4 — 6-toothed, with as many inter- 

 mediate, minute processes ; petals 4 — 6, equal : stamens as many, or 

 twice as many as the petals, inserted into the calyx; style filiform ; 

 capsule 2-celled, many-seeded. — Mostly %, with entire leaves. 



1. L. Hyssopifolia. {!_.. h}'ssopifolium. Bw. and 1st edit.) Grass-poly. 



Glabrous, erect, branchmg; lvs. alternate or opposite, linear or oblong- 

 lanceolate, obtuse ; Jls. solitary, axillary, .subsessile ; pet. and sta. 5 or 6. — (T) A 

 slender, weed-like plant, found in low grounds, dried beds ef ponds, &c., Mass. 

 and N. Y., near the coast, rare. Plant 6 — 10' high, with spreading, square 

 branches. Leaves sessile, acute at base, pale green, each with a single small 

 flower sessile in its axil. Petals pale purple. Cal3^x obscurely striate, with 

 short lobes. Jl. 



2. L. ALATUM. Ph. Wing-stem L/ijthrum. 



Glabrous, erect, branched; st. winged below; Irs. lance-ovate, sessile, 

 broadest at base, alternate and opposite; Jls. axillary, solitary. — Damp grounds, 

 Southern and Western States, common ! Stem 1— 2f high, striate, the wings 

 narrow. Leaves 1 — 2' long, \ as wide. Calyx tube 12-striate, 12-toothed, alter- 

 nate teeth cornute. Corolla purple, wa\y, 6-petaled. Stamens 6, included. Jn. Jl. 



3. L. LiNEARE. Linear-leaved Lythrum. 



St. slender, .somewhat 4-angled, branched above ; lvs. linear, mostly oppo- 

 site and obtu.se; Jls. nearly .sessile; pet. and sta. 6. — Swamps, near the coast, 

 N. J. to Flor. Stem 2 — 4f high, the angle sometimes slightly winged. Leaves 

 1 — 2' by 2 — 4", rather fleshy. Flowers small, nearly white. 



4. L. Salicaria. Loose-strife. 



More or less pubescent ; lvs. lanceolate, cordate at base ; Jls. nearly ses- 

 sile, in a long, somewhat verticillate, interrupted spike; pet. 6 or 7; sta. twice 

 as many as the petals. — % An ornamental plant, native in v.-et meadows, Can. 

 and N. Eng., rare. Stem 2 — 5f high, branching. Leaves 3 — 0' lonsr, \ as wide, 

 gradually acuminate, entire, on a short petiole, opposite, or in verticils of 3, 

 upper ones reduced to sessile bracts. Flowers large, numerous and showy. 

 Petals purple. Jl. Aug. f 



