178 I.(J08ESTi:iFE FAMILY. 



1. PTJNICA, rO.MEGKANATE. (Tlie name means CVn-//(.^r//H(rt)j.) 



P. Granatum, Linn. Tree cult, from the Orient as a house plant N. 

 and for its fruit S. ; smooth, with small obloni;- or obovate obtuse leaves, 

 either opposite or scattered, mostly clustered on short branchlets ; the 

 Howers short-stalked, usually solitary. lari;e, both calyx and corolla bright 

 scarlet, with 5-7 petals, or full tloulile ; the seedy fruit as large as a small 

 apple. 



2. LAGERSTRCEMIA, CRAPE MYRTLE. (Named for a Swedish 

 naturalist, Lafjerstrcem. ) 



L. Indica, Linn., from E. Indies; planted for ornament from AVash- 

 ington, S., and in conservatories N. ; shrub with smooth, ovate or oval 

 opposite, leaves, and panicles of very showy pale rose or tiesh-coloretl 

 large flowers, reniarkable for the wavy-crisped petals and long silky-tuftetl 

 stamens. 



3. ROTALA. ( Wheel-shapcil.) < >ne inconspicuous marsh herb in our 

 region. 



R. rani6sior, Koehne. Plant 3'-8' high, with narrow leaves tapering 

 to the base ; very small, sessile liowers in the axils, solitary or rarely 3 

 . together. Mass. to Fla. and \Y. 



4. AMMANNIA. (Named for Paul Ammann, aii early German bot- 

 anist.) Low insignificant herbs in wet places S., with small, greenish 

 flowers in the axils of the narrow leaves. 



A. coccinea, Rottb. Leaves linear-lanceolate, with nn auricled base ; 

 flowers in dense subsessile axillary cymes. N. J. to Fla. and W. 



5. LYTHRUM, LOOSESTRIFE. (Name in Greek for blood; appli- 

 cation obscure.) Flowers summer. 



* Flon-crs small and few; stamens 7 or less. 



L. Hyssopif6]ia, Linn. Leaves small and narrow, obtuse, longer 

 than the very small, pale purple flowers; stamens 4-6 included. Low 

 ('5'-l(l'), in niarshes from Me. to N. J. ® 



L. al4tum, Pursli. Low grounds W. and S. ; nearly smooth, slender, 

 2<^-3° high, above and on the branches with margined angles, very leafy ; 

 the small leaves oblong, the uppermost not longer than the small flowers 

 in their axils ; petals G, purple ; stamens 6, in some flowers exserted. 21 



* * Floioers showy, in apicate clusters ; stamens 8 or more. 



L. Salicaria, Linn. Spikei> L. With stems 2°-3° high ; leaves broad- 

 lanceolate, and often with a heart-shaped base, in pairs or threes ; flowers 

 crowded in their axils and forming a wand-like spike, rather large, with 

 6 or rarely 7 lance-oblong pink petals, and twice as many stamens of two 

 lengths. Sparingly wild X. E. in wet meadows, and cult ; Eu. 21 



6. DECODON. (S-.une h-om Creek ior (en-toothrd.) 21 



D. verticillatus. Ell. Common E. and S. in very wet places ; smooth 

 or minutely downy, with long, recurving branches (2°-8° long), lanceolate 

 leaves, mostly in threes, the upper with clustered, short-stalked flowers in 

 their axils, 5 wedge-lanceolate rose-purple petals, and 10 stamens of two 

 or three lengths. 



