88 FLOWERS OF LAKES, RIVERS, ETC. 



The capsule, which is egg-shaped and i-2-celled, is divided by 

 septa and opens along the centre of each valve irregularly, allowing 

 the numerous small yellow seeds to be thrown out to some distance. 

 When blown or cast up on the water they are able to float. 



Purple Loosestrife is a peat- or humus-loving plant, growing in 

 wet peaty ground close to water, and is often submerged. 



The beetles, Galeruca calmariensis, Haliica lythri, Aphthona lute- 

 scens, Ochrosis salicarice, and Psylliodes picina, Apion vernale, feed on 

 it, and the Lepidoptera, Small Elephant Hawk Moth (Chcerocampa 

 elpenor), and the V Pug (Eupithecia coronata}. 



Ly thrum, Linnaeus, is from the Greek lythron, gore, from the 

 purple colour of the flowers, and Salicaria, Tournefort, is from salix, 

 willow, from the shape of the leaves. 



Purple Loosestrife is called Purple Grass, Herb Willow, Long 

 Purples, Purple Loose-strife, Red Sally, Soldiers, Spiked Willow Herb. 

 This plant is called Red Sally in Lancashire, where it is much gathered 

 for medicinal use. In Clare's " Village Minstrel" it is called Long 



Purples: 



" Gay long-purples with its tufty spike 

 She'd wade o'er shoes to reach it in the dyke". 



The plant is astringent and tonic, and is much used in Ireland on 

 account of those properties. It has also been used in tanning. 



ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: 



117. Lythrnm Salicaria, L. Stem tall, erect, leaves lanceolate, 

 cordate below, opposite, flowers purple, in whorls in spikes, stamens 12, 

 long and short, calyx teeth alternately long and spreading. 



Great Hairy Willow Herb (Epilobium hirsutum, L.) 



The present distribution of this plant, which is the limit of our 

 knowledge so far as to its antiquity and range, is the North Temperate 

 Zone, where it is found in Europe, N. Africa, Siberia, W. Asia, and 

 it has been introduced into N. America. In Great Britain it is 

 abundant in all the counties except Cardigan, Carnarvon, Stirling, 

 Mid Perth, S. Aberdeen, Banff, Elgin, Easterness, W. and N. High- 

 lands, West Sutherland, and the Northern Isles. 



The Great Hairy Willow Herb grows wherever there is a moist 

 ditch, or by pond-sides, along the margins of lakes and rivers, and in 

 marshes and pools. It is a gregarious plant, needing constant moisture 

 at the roots, but may rarely be found on dry land. With it grow 



