260 LII. LYTHRACE^E. LTTHRUM. 



1. AMMANNIA. 



Named in honor of John Ammann, native of Siberia, prof, of bot. St. Petersburg. 



Calyx campanulate, 4 5-toothed or lobed, generally with as many 

 horn-like processes alternating with the lobes ; petals 4 or 5, often ; 

 stamens as many, rarely twice as many as the calyx lobes ; capsule 

 2 4-celled, many-seeded. In wet places. Sts. square and Ivs. oppo- 

 site, entire. Fls. axillary. 



1. A. HUMILIS. Michx. (A. ramosior. Linn.*) Low Ainmannia. 



St. branched from the base; ascending ; Ivs. linear-oblong or lanceolate, 

 obtuse, tapering at base into a short petiole ; fls. solitary, closely sessile, all the 

 parts in 4s ; sty. Very short. An obscure and humble plant in wet places, Ct. to 

 Ga. W. to Oregon. Stems square, procumbent at base, 6 10' high. Flowers 

 minute, one in the axil of each leaf, with 4 purplish, caducous petals. Calyx 

 with 4 short, horn-like processes, alternating with the 4 short lobes of the limb. 

 Aug. Sept. 



/?. (T. & G. A. ramosior. Michx.} Lvs. subsessile, cordate-sagittate at base ; 

 fls. about 3 in each of the lower axils, solitary above. In N. J., where, it is said 

 by T. & G., to grow with and pass into the other variety. 



2. A. LATIFOLIA. (A. ramosior. Linn.} 



St. erect, branching; Irs. linear-lanceolate, dilated and auricula ted at the 

 sessile base ; fls. crowded and apparently verticillate, upper subsolitary and 

 pedunculate ; cat. 4-angled, 4-horned; scp., pet., sta. and cells of capsule 4. Wet 

 prairies, Western States. Stem 1 2fhigh. Leaves 2 3' by 2 5". Flowers 

 purple. Jl. Sept. 



2. LYTHRUM. 



Gr. \v$pov, black blood; referring to the color of the flower. 



Calyx cylindrical, striate, limb 4 6-toothed, with as many inter- 

 mediate, minute processes ; petals 4 6, equal ; stamens as many, or 

 twice as many as the petals, inserted into the calyx ; style filiform ; 

 capsule 2-celled, many-seeded. Mostly %, with entire leaves. 



1. L. HYSSOPIFOLIA. (L. hyssopifolium. Dw. and 1st edit.} Grass-poly. 



Glabrous, erect, branching ; Ivs. alternate or opposite, linear or oblong- 

 lanceolate, obtuse ; fls. solitary, axillary, subsessile ; pet. and sta. 5 or 6. (T) A 

 slender, weed-like plant, found in low grounds, dried beds of ponds, &c., Mass. 

 and N. Y., near the coast, rare. Plant 6 10' high, with spreading, square 

 branches. Leaves sessile, acute at base, pale green, each with a single small 

 flower sessile in its axil. Petals pale purple. Calyx obscurely striate, with 

 short lobes. Jl. 



2. L. ALATUM. Ph. Wing-stem Ly thrum. 



Glabrous, erect, branched ; st. winged below ; Ivs. lance-ovate, sessile, 

 broadest at base, alternate and opposite ; fls. axillary, solitary. Damp grounds, 

 Southern and Western States, common ! Stem 1 2f high, striate, the wings 

 narrow. Leaves 1 2' long, | as wide. Calyx tube 12-striate, 12-toothed, alter- 

 nate teeth cornute, Corolla purple, wavy, 6-petaled. Stamens 6, included. Jn. Jl. 



3. L. LINEARE. Linear-hated Lythrum. 



St. slender, somewhat 4-angled, branched above ; Ivs. linear, mostly oppo- 

 site and obtuse ; fls. nearly sessile ; pet. and sta. 6. Swamps, near the coast, 

 N. J. to Flor. Stem 2 4f high, the angle sometimes slightly winged. Leaves 

 1 2' by 2 4", rather fleshy. Flowers small, nearly white. 



4. L. SALICARIA. Loose-strife. 



More or less pubescent; Ivs. lanceolate, cordate at base; fls. nearly ses- 

 sile, in a long, somewhat verticillate, interrupted spike; pet. 6 or 7; sta. twice 

 as many as the petals. 7]. An ornamental plant, native in wet meadows, Can. 

 and N. Eng., rare. Stem 2 5f high, branching. Leaves 3 G' long, \ as wide, 

 gradually acuminate, entire, on a short petiole, opposite, or in verticils of 3, 

 upper ones reduced to sessile bracts. Flowers large, numerous and showy. 

 Petals purple. Jl. Aug. f 



