178 CERATOPHYLLACE.E. — LYTHRACEffi. [Lythrum. 



I. Ceeatophyllum, Limi. Hornwort. 

 " Character the same as of the order." — Br. Fl. p. 371. 



1. C. ? 



In a ditch on Sandown level, nearly at the back of Lower Morton farm, not in 

 flower and the species not determined, 1838. 



Order XXVIII. LYTHEACE^, Juss. 



" Calyx of 1 piece, free, persistent, the lobes varying in num- 

 ber, valvate or distant in estivation, often with intermediate teeth. 

 Petals inserted upon the calyx between its lobes, caducous, some- 

 times 0. Stamens inserted within the tube of the calyx, equal to, 

 or dovible or triple the number of petals. Ovary 1, superior. 

 Style 1 ; stigma usually capitate. Capsule membranous, 2 — 4 

 celled, opening longitudinally or irregularly. Seeds numerous, 

 without albumen, on an axile placenta. — Herbs, 'with usually oppo- 

 site leaves, ivithout stipules. Flowers axillary or racemose or 

 spiked." — Br. Fl. 



I. Lytheum, Linn. Purple-Loosestrife. 



" Calyx inferior, tubular, with 8 — 12 teeth, the alternate ones 

 subulate. Petals 4 — 6. Stamens as many as, or twice as many 

 as the petals. Style filiform. Capiside 2-celled." — Br. Fl. 



1. L. Salicaria, L. Common or Spiked Pwple-Loosestrife. 

 " Leaves opposite lanceolate cordate at the base, flowers in whorled 

 leafy spikes with 12 stamens, bracteas none." — Br. Fl. p. 140. 

 E.B.t. 1061. 



About the margins of ponds and rivers, on ditch-banks, in low wet meadows and 

 thickets, osier-beds, &c., in various places. Fl. July — September. !(.. 



E. Med. — Wet thickets in Sandown level, towards Bordwood. The Wilder- 

 ness, sparingly. A little S. of Budbridge farm, very sparingly. Wet willow- 

 thicket by Stone farm, in some abundance. Ditch-banks on the moors near 

 Kookley farm, not unfrequent. 



W. Med. — In a large witby-bed between Compton and Dursbuiy farms, a little 

 N.E. of Compton Grange. Pan moor, by Newport. Plentiful in the marsh at 

 Easton, and near Thorley in a meadow towards Wilmingham, most abundantly. 

 Near Colvvell. 



Root tough, woody, much branched and creeping, blackish without, white 

 within, and emitting many long slender iibres. Stem I or more, simple or 

 copiously branched, solid, erect or ascending at the base, 2 — 5 feet high, with 4 

 or 6 acute slightly winged angles, according as the leaves are opposite or ternale, 

 downy and often purplish, especially tovvavds the top. Leaves sessile, opposite or 

 in whorls of 3 or even 4 together, cordaio-lanceolate, acute, quite entire, dark 

 green, shining and nearly glabrous above, paler and more downy beneath, with 

 several prominent nearly parallel nerves, tlieir edges a little deflexed, very vari- 

 able in size and in the degree of smoothiicss or pubescence. Inflorescence in 

 densely crowded or sometimes rather remote whorls, constituting a long tapering 

 spike of handsome, purple, almost sessile flowers, that terminates the stem and 

 branches, producing blossoms in long succession. The number of flowers in each 

 whorl is extremely variable, in general they are much more than 6, as mentioned 



