VOL. II.] 



PRIMROSE FAMILY. 



589 



5. Lysimachia Nummularia L. 



Moneywort. Creeping Loosestrife. 



(Fig.. 2815.) 



Lysimachia Nummularia L- Sp. PI. 148. 1753. 



Glabrous; stems creeping, sometimes 2 long, 

 often rooting at the nodes. Leaves opposite, 

 orbicular or broadly oval, obtuse at both ends 

 or truncate or cordate at the base, manifestly 

 petioled, J^'-i'long, sparingly black-punctate; 

 flowers solitary in the axils, 8 // -i2 // broad; 

 sepals cordate-ovate to lanceolate, acute, half as 

 long as the rotate deeply 5-lobed yellow and 

 dark-dotted corolla; filaments glandular, mon- 

 adelphous at the base; capsule shorter than 

 the sepals. 



In moist places, Newfoundland to New Jer- 

 sey, Pennsylvania and Indiana. Naturalized from 

 Europe. June-Aug. Lower leaves sometimes 

 narrowed at the base. Also called Creeping- 

 Jenny, and Herb-twopence. 



6. STEIRONEMA Raf. Ann. Gen. Phys. 7: 192. 1820. 



Perennial leafy herbs, with opposite or verticillate simple entire leaves, and axillary 

 slender-peduncled nodding or spreading yellow flowers. Calyx 5-parted, persistent, the 

 segments valvate in the bud. Corolla rotate, deeply 5-parted, with no proper tube, the lobes 

 cuspidate or erose-denticulate, each separately involute or convolute around its stamen. 

 Stamens 5; filaments distinct, or united into a ring at the very base, granulose-glandular; 

 anthers linear, becoming curved; staminodia 5, subulate, alternate with the stamens. 

 Ovary globose; ovules few or numerous. Capsule 5-valved, several-many-seeded. Seeds 

 margined or angled. [Greek, sterile threads, from the abortive stamens.] 



About five species, natives of North America. 



Leaves membranous, pinnately veined. 

 Leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate. 



Stem erect; flowers 6"-i2" broad. 



Petioles strongly ciliate ; capsule longer than the calyx. i. S. ciliatum. 



Petioles not ciliate, or slightly so at base; capsule not longer than the calyx. 



2. 5. tonsum. 



Stem reclined; flowers $"-4" broad; leaves not ciliate; petioles naked. 3. 5". radicans. 

 Leaves lanceolate, oblong or linear; stem erect. 4. S. lanceolatum. 



Leaves firm, linear, i -nerved, the lateral veins obscure. 5. S. quadriflorum. 







i. Steironema ciliatum (L.) Raf. 

 Fringed Loosestrife. 

 (Fig. 2816.) 



Lysimachia ciliata L. Sp. PI. 147. 1753. 

 Sleironema ciliatum Raf. Ann. Gen. Phys. 7: 192. 

 1820. 



Stems erect, simple or branched, slender, 

 mostly glabrous, i-4 high. Leaves membra- 

 nous, ovate, ovate-oblong, or ovate-lanceolate, 

 pinnately veined, acute or acuminate at the 

 apex, obtuse, truncate or cordate at the base, 

 2' '-6' long, ^'-3' wide, the margins ciliolate; 

 petioles ciliate, ^'-^2' long; peduncles filiform, 

 YZ'-I' long; calyx-segments lanceolate, acumi- 

 nate, shorter than the erose-denticulate com- 

 monly mucronate corolla-segments; flowers 

 6 // -i2 // broad; capsule longer than the calyx. 



In moist thickets, Nova Scotia to British Colum- 

 bia, south to Georgia, Alabama, Nebraska, New 

 Mexico and Arizona. Ascends to 6300 ft. in North 

 Carolina. Naturalized in Europe. June-Aug. 



