GENUS 5. 



LOOSESTRIFE FAMILY. 



2. Lythrum alatum Pursh. Wing-angled 

 Loosestrife. Fig. 3005. 



Lythrum alatum Pursn, Fl. Am. Sept. 334. 1814. 



Perennial, erect, glabrous, usually much branched, 

 dark green, i-4 high, the stem angled and often 

 slightly winged. Leaves sessile, alternate or the 

 lowest opposite, lanceolate or oblong, acute or 

 acutish at the apex, rounded or cordate at the 

 base, 6"-is" long, 2"-5" wide ; flowers solitary in 

 the upper a::ils, short-pedicelled, deep purple, 

 3"-S" broad, dimorphous ; petals erect-spreading ; 

 stamens of the short-styled flowers exserted ; 

 hypogynous ring fleshy ; ovary nearly sessile ; 

 calyx 2j"-3" lorg in fruit. 



In low grounds, southern Ontario to Massachu- 

 setts, Kentucky, South Dakota, Utah, Kansas and 

 Arkansas. The closely related L. lanceolatum EH. of 

 the southern states has the leaves narrowed or 

 cuneate at the base. Milk willow-herb. June-Aug. 



3. Lythrum lineare L. Linear-leaved 

 Loosestrife. Fig. 3006. 



Lythrum lineare L. Sp. PI. 447. 1/53. 



Perennial, slender, glabrous, rather pale 

 green, much branched, 2-4 high. Leaves 

 narrowly linear, sessile, 6"-i2" long, i"-2" 

 wide, nearly all opposite, acutish at the apex 

 or the lowest obtuse, narrowed at the base ; 

 flowers solitary in the upper axils, light 

 purple or nearly white, dimorphous, about 

 \\" broad ; stamens of the short-styled 

 flowers exserted; no hypogynous ring; 

 ovary short-stalked; fruiting calyx ii"-2" 

 long. 



Borders of salt marshes, New Jersey to 

 Florida, west to Texas. Cuba. July-Sept. 



Lythrum Vulneraria Ait., of Mexico, ad- 

 mitted into our first edition as recorded as 

 found at St. Louis, Mo., is not definitely 

 known within our area. 



4. Lythrum Salicaria L. Spiked or Purple 

 Loosestrife Fig. 3007. 



Lythrum Salicaria L. Sp. PL 446. 1/53. 



Perennial, erect, 2-3 high, glabrous or pubescent, 

 sometimes tomentose above, at length much branched. 

 Leaves opposite or sometimes verticillate in 3's, sessile, 

 lanceolate, cordate or clasping at the base, 2'-3' long, 

 3"-5" wide ; flowers purple, trimorphous, 6"-8" broad, 

 in dense compound terminal interrupted bracted spikes ; 

 stamens 8-10, alternately longer and shorter, even the 

 longer ones little exserted ; ovary short-stalked ; fruiting 

 calyx about 3" long; calyx-lobes shorter than the nar- 

 row appendages. 



In swamps and wet meadows, Cape Breton Island to 

 Ontario, south to southern New York, Delav/are and the 

 District of Columbia. Naturalized from Europe. June- 

 Aug Widely distributed in the Old World. Spiked willow- 

 herb, long purples, soldiers. Purple-grass. Willow- or kill- 

 weed. Sage-willow. Milk or purple willow-herb. Red sally. 

 Rainbow-weed. 



Lythrum virgatum L., differing by leaves narrowed at 

 the base, is recorded as established in eastern Massachusetts. 



