1 88 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



purple, rarely white, three-fourths to i| inches broad in elongated, terminal, 

 spikelike racemes; calyx tube cylindric, inclosing the ovary, four-lobed 

 at the apex; petals four, obovate; stamens eight; capsules or fruit 2 to 3 

 inches long and about one-eighth of an inch thick, finely canescent; seeds 

 numerous, small, with a long, whitish tuft of hairs. 



In dry soil, usually on recently cleared or burned-over woodlands, 

 Greenland to Alaska, south to North Carolina, Indiana, Kansas, Rocky 

 mountains and California. Also in Europe and Asia. Flowering from 

 July to September. 



Great Hairy Willow-herb 

 Epilobium hirsntum Linnaeus 



Plate 144a 



Stems stout and softly hairy, 2 to 5 feet high from perennial roots, 

 propagating by underground shoots. Leaves usually opposite, sometimes 

 alternate, oblong-lanceolate to lanceolate, sessile or even clasping the stem 

 at the base, pointed at the apex, sharply but finely toothed on the margins, 

 1 to 4 inches long, one-third to one-half of an inch wide, thin and pubescent. 

 Flowers rose-purple, three-fourths to 1 inch broad, in the axils of the upper 

 leaves; calyx tube linear with four deciduous lobes or sepals at its summit; 

 petals broadly obovate and notched at the apex, pubescent within at the 

 base. Stigma deeply four-lobed; stamens eight. Fruiting capsule 2 to 3 

 inches long and very slender, with numerous small seeds each provided with 

 a tuft of whitish hairs. 



A native of Europe which, like the Purple Loosestrife, is thoroughly 



naturalized in marshes, swamps and ditches throughout the eastern states, 



especially about the larger cities, towns and ports. Flowering from July 



to September. 



The other species of Epilobium in New York are chiefly inconspicuous, 

 small-flowered marsh herbs, two of them very rare Alpine species of the 

 higher Adirondacks, the other four being inhabitants of swamps and 

 bogs at lower altitudes. Of these, the commonest in most localities is the 

 Northern Willow-herb (Epilobium adenocaulon Haussknecht). 



