LOOSESTRIFE FAMILY. Lythraceae. 



A most beautiful species naturalized 

 s"nfe'd **'' ^^^"^ Europe and called by 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 



magenta, light , , , , , • -. ■, 



June-August beart-shaped base, growmg oppositely or 



in circles of three, and stemless. The 

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

 growing in circles, with 8-13 stamens, longer and 

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

 veloping three relative lengths of stamens and style. 

 Unquestionabh' dependent upon insects for cross-fertili- 

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

 butterflies are common visitors ; Colias pliilodice 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 "^ somewhat shrubby plant, nearly 



Loosestrife smooth, with reclining or recurved stems 

 Decndon verti- of 4-6 sidcs, and lance-shaped leaves near- 

 ^' '^'^"■'^ ly 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 clammv, hairy, branching. 

 Clammy , , i .^i^ ^ , i j 



Cuphea homely annual, with ovate-lance-shaped 



Cupkeavisco- dull green leaves, and small magenta- 



sissima pink flowers with ovate petals on short 



Ma^genta=pink ^layvs. Stem branching. 1-2 feet high. 



September ^^^ sandy fields from R. I. south to Ga. 



and west to Kan. and La, 



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