DODECANDRIA— MONOGYNIA. Lythrum. 343 



may have been naturalized in some other parts, where it occa- 

 sionally occurs. 



Perennial. May. 



Roots creeping, entangled, with numerous, branching, stout fibres ; 

 their scent when bruised very peculiar, partaking of pepper and 

 ginger ; and they are said to be purgative, as well as emetic. 

 Stems very short and simple, round, each bearing two dark 

 green, shining, kidney-shaped, rather downy, leaves, two inches 

 wide, on long downy stalks, and one drooping ^flower, not an 

 inch long, fleshy in substance, of a lurid and singular aspect. 

 The powdered leaves are used to provoke sneezing ; a few grains 

 at a time may be safely taken, and they produce a considerable 

 discharge of fluid by the nostrils. The herb increases plenti- 

 fully by seed, without any care, as well as by root, in dry shady 

 situations. 



246. LYTHRUM. Purple Loosestrife. 



Linn. Gen, 2A0. Juss. 332. FL Br. 509. Lam. t. 408. Gcertn. 

 t.62. 



Salicaria. Tourn.t. 129. 



Nat. Orel. Calycanthemce. Linn. 17. Salicaricv. Juss. 91. 



Cal. inferior, of 1 leaf, cylindrical, striated, with 12 mar- 

 ginal teeth, alternately larger and smaller. Pet. 6, ellip- 

 tic-ohlong, equal, wavy, with short claws, inserted mto 

 the rim of the calyx, spreading. Vdam, 12, thread- 

 shaped, from the tube of the calyx, shorter than the co- 

 rolla, the 6 alternate ones shortest, and sometimes want- 

 ing; all incurved while young. Antlu roundish, incum- 

 bent. Germ, superior, ovate-oblong. Stijlc thread-shaped, 

 about as long as the longest stamens, a little curved. Htig- 

 ma capitate. Caps, inclosed in the tube of the calyx, ob- 

 long, membranous, pointed, of 2 cells. Seeds numerous, 

 minute, obovate-oblong. 



Herbs with simple, entire, oblong leaves, square stems, and 



purple, axillary, nearly sessile yZotttVi-. 

 Some species have occasionally, or constantly, flowers witli 

 but 5 petals and 10 stamens. In others, half the stamens 

 are abortive, or entirely absent. Several plants referred 

 by LinnaHis to Lylhnim are now properly excluded ; 

 especially those with irregular /rncvT.s', constituting the 

 Cupliea of Jaccjuin, a fine South-American genus. 



1. L. Salicaria. Spiked Purple-Loosestrife. 

 Leaves opposite, lanceolate; heart-shaped at the base. 

 Flowers in whorled leafy spikes. Stamens twelve. 



