Vor. II.] LOOSESTRIFE FAMILY. 471 
the calyx-tube, the longer exserted. Style filiform; stigma small. Capsule globose, 3-5- 
celled, included in the calyx, loculicidally dehiscent. [Greek, ten-toothed, referring to the 
calyx. ] 
A monotypic genus of eastern North America. 
1. Decodon verticillatus (L.) Ell. Swamp 
Loosestrife or Willow-herb. (Fig. 2544. ) 
Lythrum verticillatum 1. Sp. Pl. 446. 1753. 
Decodon aquaticus J. F. Gmel. Syst. 2: 677. 1791. 
Decodon verticillatus Ell. Bot. S. C. & Ga. 1:544. 1821. 
Nesaea verticillata H.B.K. Nov. Gen. 6: 191. 1823. 
Aquatic, perennial, somewhat woody, with an- 
gular recurved glabrous or slightly pubescent 
stems 3°-10° long, which root from the tip when 
they reach the water or mud. Leaves lanceolate, 
2/-5s’ long, 4’’-12’’ wide, glabrous above, somewhat 
pubescent beneath, acute at both ends; petioles 
2’’-4’’ long; cymes seyeral-flowered; flowers nearly 
1’ broad; petals cuneate at the base, pink-purple; 
filaments of the longer stamens very slender; 
capsule about 214’ in diameter. 
In swamps, Rhode Island and Massachusetts to Flor- 
ida, west to southern Ontario, Minnesota, Kentucky 
and Louisiana. Stems clothed with aerenchyma at the 
base. Flowers rarely double. Ascends to 2000 ft. in 
Pennsylvania. July-Sept. 
5s LYTHRUM a Spa ladon E753. 
Herbs or shrubs, with 4-angled stems, opposite alternate or rarely verticillate entire 
leaves, and solitary cymose-paniculate or spicate and terminal often dimorphous or trimor- 
phous flowers. Calyx-tube cylindric, 8-12-ribbed, straight, not gibbous at the base, with 
4-6 primary teeth and an equal number of accessory ones in thesinuses. Petals 4-6, usually 
obovate, rarely wanting. Stamens 8-12, inserted on the calyx-tube, included or exserted. 
Ovary oblong, sessile, 2-celled; style filiform; stigma mostly capitate; ovules numerous, 
Capsules enclosed by the calyx, membranous, 2-celled, 2-valved, or bursting irregularly. 
Seeds flat or angular. [Greek, gore, from the purple color of the flowers. ] 
About 23 species, of wide geographic distribution. Besides the following, about 4 others occur 
in the southern and western United States. 
Flowers axillary, solitary; stamens not more numerous than petals. 
Leaves mostly alternate. 
Leaves obtuse; stamens all included; annual. . L. Hyssoptfolia. 
Leaves acute; stamens of short-styled flowers exserted; perennial. 2. L. alatum, 
Leaves mostly opposite. 
Leaves narrowly linear, narrowed at the base. 3. L. lineare. 
Leaves ovate or oval, rounded or cordate at the base. 4. L. Vulneraria. 
Flowers in spicate panicles, terminal; stamens twice as many as petals. 5. L. Salicaria. 
1. Lythrum Hyssopifolia L. Hyssop 
Loosestrife. Grass Poly. (Fig. 2545.) 
Lythrum Hyssoptifolia I, Sp. Pl. 447. 1753. 
Annual, glabrous, pale green, erect or assurgent, at 
length widely branched, 6’-24’ high. Leaves sessile, 
mainly alternate, the lowest sometimes opposite, ob- 
long or linear-oblong, obtuse at the apex, rounded at 
the base, 4’’-10’’ long, 1/’-4’’ wide, those of the main 
stem larger than those of the branches; flowers solitary 
and sessile in the axils, not dimorphous, pink-purple, 
about 14’ broad; petals nearly erect; stamens all in- 
cluded; calyx 24//-3/’ long in fruit. 
Borders of salt marshes, Maine to New Jersey. Also in 
California and along the coast of South America. Natu- 
ralized from Europe. Widely distributed in the Old 
World. June-Sept. 
