50 Ludwigia macrocarpa. 



reddish colour, somewhat rough on the angles, and pubescent to- 

 wards the summit; young branches and bases of leaves, particularly 

 the younger ones, carmine-red. Leaves alternate and opposite, ses- 

 sile, lanceolate and linear-lanceolate, acute, the terminal ones linear, 

 and obtuse, all very entire ; pale or asparagus green beneath, hut not 

 hoary as described by some writers; light yellow-green and smooth 

 above. The mid-rib, nerves of the under side of the leaves, and 

 angles of the stem, covered with short scattered hairs, and the 

 same thing occurs on the margins of the leaves, which appear, 

 particularly in dried specimens, to be fringed with short cilise. 

 Flowers axillary, often solitary, but mostly in pairs, supported by 

 short peduncles. Calix larger than the corolla, its segments ovate 

 and acuminate, five-nerved; the apex of each segment tipped with 

 carmine-red — the whole of the mature calix of a dull-red colour. 

 Corolla, when fully expanded, rotate. Petals four, ovate, gamboge- 

 yellow, very caducous. Stamens constantly four, filaments very 

 short. Anthers pale-yellow. Stigma viscid. Capsules large, shining, 

 of a globose, cubical form, with four angles or wings, the wings cili- 

 ated, and perforated at the top. Seeds small and numerous. 



Grows from New England to Georgia, inhabiting grassy swamps, 

 low wet meadows, particularly along the margins of meadow drains 

 and ditches, and near the banks of small waters. It delights in a 

 moist and boggy soil. Flowers in June, and continues to bloom till 

 August, or even later. 



