Lythrum. LYTHRACE^. 



229 



2. LYTHRUM. Linn. ; Endl. gen. 6149. ^crple loosestbipe. 



[ From the Greek, luthmn, blood ; in aUusion to the color of the flower in some species.] 

 Calyx cyliiidrical, striate ; teeth 4-6, short, usually with as many minute intermediate teeth 

 or processes. Petals 4-6. Stamens as many or twice as many as the petals, inserted, 

 about the middle or near the base of the caly.x, nearly equal. Style filiform : stigma 

 capitate. Capsule oblong, 2-celIed, many-seeded, enclosed in the calyx.— Herbs, or rarely 

 suffruticose plants, with opposite scattered or entire leaves and purplish or white flowers. 



1. Lythrum hyssopifolia, Li7m. Common Purple Loosestrife. 



Annual ; leaves alternate or sometimes opposite, linear-lanceolate, obtuse ; flowers axillary, 

 solitary ; calyx obscurely striate ; petals and stamens 5 - Q.— Linn. sp. 1. p. 447 ; Jacq fl 

 Austr. t. 133 ; Nutt. ge7i. l.p.303; DC. prodr. 3. p. 81 ; Torr. 4. Gr.Jl. N.Am.'l. p.481. 

 L. hyssopifolium, Engl. bot. t. 292 ; Torr. fi. 1. p. 472 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 188. 



Stem simple, sparingly branched from the base, quadrangular and somewhat margined. 

 Flowers pale purple. Nutt. 



In the State of New-York {Nuttall). I have never found tliis plant in the State ; nor has 

 it ever, to my knowledge, been found in New- York by any other botanist than Mr. Nuttall, 

 who has not recorded its precise locality. It occurs in Massachusetts, and is also a native of 

 Europe. 



3. DECODON. Gmel syst. p. 677 ; Ell. sk. 1. p. 543. sWAMP willow-herb. 



[ From the Greek, dclcas, ten, and odous, a tooth ; there being ten teeth to the calyx.] 

 Calyx campanulate, not bracteolate at the base, with 5 erect teeth, and 5 accessory spreading 

 horn-like processes. Stamens 10 - 12 ; those opposite the proper teeth of the calyx very 

 long, the alternate ones shorter. Style filiform : stigma small, undivided. Capsule included 

 m the calyx, 3 - 4-celled. Seeds numerous, wingless.— Stem herbaceous or suffruticose, 

 recurved, with opposite or verticillate lanceolate leaves. Flowers somewhat umbellate, on 

 short axillary peduncles. Petals purple, 



1. Decodon verticillatum, Ell. (Plate XXVIII.) Sivamp Willoio-herh. 



Ell. sk. I. c; DC. prodr. 3. p. 90 ; Torr. 4. Gr. fl. N. Am. 1. p. 483. D. aquaticus, 

 Gmel. I. c. Lythrum verticillatum, Linn. sp. 1. p. 446 ; Michx. fl. 1. p. 281 ; Pursh,fl. 1. 

 p. 334 ; Torr. fl.l.p. 471 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 188. Anonymos aquatica. Walt. fl'. Car. 

 p. 137. Neesea verticillata, //. B. ^ K. nov. gen. 6. p. 191. 



Stems 2-6 feci long, 4 - 6-si(Jcd, smooth or pubescent, recurved and sometimes taking 



