260 LII. LYTHRACE^. Lythrum. 



1. AMMANNIA. 



Named in honor of John Ammann, native of Siberia, prof, of bot. St. Petersburg. 



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

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

 stamens as many, rarely twice as many as the calyx lobes ; capsule 

 2 — 4-celled, many-seeded. — (D Imcet places. Sts. square and Ivs. oppo- 

 site, entire. Fls. axillary. 



1. A. HUMiLis. Michx. fA. ramosior. Linn.) Low Aviviannia. 



St. branched from 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 ; sty. very short. — An obscure 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. 



/?. (T. & G. A. ramosior. Michx.) — Lvs. subsessile, cordate-sagittate at base ; 

 Jls. 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; lvs. linear-lanceolate, dilated and auricula ted at the 

 sessile base ; Jls. crowded and apparently verticillate, upper subsolitary and 

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

 prairies, Western States. Stem 1 — 2fhigh. Leaves 2 — 3' by 2 — 5". Flowers 

 purple. Jl. — Sept. 



2. LYTHRUM. 



Gr. XtiSpoi/, 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. (^L. hj'ssopifolium. i?w. and IsictZi^.) Grass-poly. 



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

 lanceolate, obtuse ; Jls. solitary, axillary, sub.sessile ; pet. and sta. 5 or 6. — (I) A 

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

 and N. Y., near the coast, rare. Plant G — 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. Calyx obscurely striate, with 

 short lobes. Jl. 



2. L. ALATUM. Ph. WLn3:-slem lAjthrwm. 



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

 broadest at base, alternate and oi^posite; 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, wavy, 6-petaled. Stamens 6, included. Jn. Jl. 



3. L. LINEARE. Linear-leaved Lylhruvi,. 



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

 site and obtuse ; 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-strije. 



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

 sile. In a long, somewhat verticillate, interrupted spike ;"pci!. 6 or 7; sta. twice 

 as many as the petals. — %. An ornamental plant, native in wet meadows. Can. 

 and N. Eng., rare. Stem 2 — 5f high, branching. Leaves 3 — 6' long, \ 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 



