LOOSESTRIFE FAMILY. Lythracew. 



A most beautiful species naturalized 



SDuTJd ° r from Eur °P e and called b y the English, 



Loosestrife Long Purples, Spiked Willow-herb, etc. 

 Lythrum An erect, smooth, or slightly hairy slender 



salicaria perennial, generally much-branched. The 



Purple= medium green leaves lance-shaped with a 



June-August heart-shaped base, growing oppositely or 



in circles of three, and stemless. The 

 long-petaled, purple-magenta (light or deep) flowers, 

 growing in circles, with 8-12 stamens, longer and 

 shorter ; the flowers, in fact, tritnorphous, that is, de- 

 veloping three relative lengths of stamens and style. 

 Unquestionably dependent upon insects for cross-fertili- 

 zation ; the honeybee, the bumblebee, and many of the 

 butterflies are common visitors ; Colzas philodice is fre- 

 quently among the number. 20-35 inches high. In wet 

 meadows, and on the borders of swamps, from Me., Vt., 

 and Mass., south to Del., and in eastern N. Y. Mrs. 

 Dana says: " It may be seen in the perfection of its 

 beauty along the marshy shores of the Hudson, and in 

 the swamps of the Wallkill Valley." It is also abundant 

 near Bedford, Mass., and in Worcester Co., Mass. It 

 responds readily to cultivation. 



Swamp A somewhat shrubby plant, nearly 



Loosestrife smooth, with reclining or recurved stems 

 Decodon verti- G f 4-6 sides, and lance-shaped leaves near- 

 cdlatus Yy stemless, opposite-growing, or mostly 



in threes ; the uppermost with clusters of 

 small, bell-shaped magenta-flowers, growing from their 

 bases. Flowers with five wedge-lance-shaped petals 

 half an inch long. Stamens 10, five short and five long. 

 2-8 feet long. Swampy places. N. Eng. south and west 

 to Minn, and La. 



A cold and clammy, hairy, branching, 

 Cuphea homely annual, with ovate-lance-shaped 



Cupheavisco- dull green leaves, and small magenta- 

 sissima pink flowers with ovate petals on short 



Magenta-pink c i aws# g t em branching, 1-2 feet high. 



September Dr y sand y fields from R - L south to Ga * 

 and west to Kan. and La. 



288 



