320 LYTHRARIE^. (LOOSESTRIFE FAMILY.) 



1. AWStA'^^lA, L. Ammannia. 



Calyx campanulate, 4-lobed, -with sometimes obsolete appendages. 

 Petals 4 or 0. Stamens 4 or 8. Stigma capitate. Capsule 1-2-celled 

 — Annual herbs, with opposite or whorled, entire leaves, and small 

 axillary flowers. 



A. verticil lata, Lam. Glabrous, glaucescent, erect, simple 

 or branched. Leaves oblong or oblanceolate, obtuse. Flowers sessile 

 or nearly so in the axils, clustered ; calyx-lobes triangular, acute, spread- 

 ing ; teeth between lobes small, sometimes ; petals purple, small, often 

 ; stamens 4 — Summer — Rice fields and swamps ; Marash. 



2. liYTHRUM, L. Loosestrife. 



Calyx tubular-cylindrical, ribbed, 8-12-toothed. Petals 4-6. Sta- 

 mens 8-12 or fewer, inserted at the bottom or middle of calyx-tube. 

 Placentae thick, adnate to septum — Annual or perennial herbs, with 

 opposite or alternate leaves, the purple flowers axillary or in spiked 

 whorls. 



* Flowers in spiked whorls. Tall, showy plants. 



1. Li. Salicaria, L. Ti ^t^^oa sto^it, erect, lio ^. Leaves cordate- 

 lanceolate to lanceolate-linear, acute, opposite or whorled. Whorls of 

 leafy spike dense, shorter than floral leaves ; calyx 12-nerved, the inner 

 6 teeth triangular, the outer longer, subulate; corolla. 008 broad; stamens 

 12 Summer — Banks and moist places ; common to 1000 m. 



Var. Syriacum, Boiss. et Gaill. Glabrous except scabrous 

 borders of leaves and bracts — Wadi Barada. 



Var. toineiitoiuiii, D.C. Woolly or canescent — Veryconmion. 

 * * Flowers axillary, solitary. 



2. Li. Graefferi, Ten. 11 Stems usually diffuse, sometimes erect. 

 Lower leaves elliptical-ollong, often cordate, the upper linear-lanceolate 

 to linear, sjyreading. Flowers lQ-1'^-androus, longer stamens exserted ; 

 calyx-teeth 12, nearly equal, triangular ; petals twice as long as calyx — 

 Spring and Summer — Ditches, borders of streams, and swampy ground ; 

 common along coast and interior to 1000 m. 



3. Li. liyssopifoliiim, L. 21 .3 to .5; stems densely leafy, 

 usually erect, sometimes diffuse. Lower leaves oblong to linear-oblong, 

 the others linear-lanceolate to linear, ascending or slightly spreading. 

 Flowers Q-androus, stamens all included; the outer calyx-teeth long, sulndate, 

 the inner minute, triangular ; petals once and a half as long as calyx — 

 Spring and Summer — Moist and dry sand ; along coast ; Damascus. 



3. L.A1VSONIA, L. Henna. Eenneh. 



Calyx-tube very short, top-shaped, 4-angled, lobes 4, spreading, 

 ovate, destitute of accessory teeth. Petals 4, corrugated, inserted at. 

 apex of calyx-tube. Stamens 8, in pairs, alternate with petals, insert- 

 ed at base of tube. Capsule globular, 4-celled, irregularly torn at 

 maturity. Placentae tHick, adnate to axis; seeds numerous. 



L. alba, L. 5 Henna. Jlenneh. Branches opposite, terete, 

 often spinescent. Leaves short-petioled, oblanceolate to obovate, entire. 

 Corymbs many-flowered, paniculate at apex of branches — Spring — 

 General in cultivation, and escaped. 



