180 
LYSIMACHIA atro-purpurea. 
Purple-flowered Loosestrife. 
PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA— Nat. Ord. PRIMULACEM. 
Gen. Char. — Cat. 5-fidus. Cor. rotata. Filamenta basi dilatata subconnata. 
Capsula globosa 5-10 valvis.. 
Lysimachia atro-purpurea ; racemis terminalibus capitatis, staminibus 
corolla (laciniis suberectis) longioribus, foliis subspathulato-lanceo- 
latis subtus punctatis glaucis. 
Lysimachia atro-purpurea. Linn. Sp. PL p. 209. 
" Lysimachia orientalis angustifolia, Comm. Rar. 33. t. 33." 
Stem erect, obscurely 4-angled, (biennial ?), nearly simple, with distantly 
placed, mostly opposite leaves, which are broadly lanceolate, subspathu- 
late in the lower part of the stem, tapering into a kind of footstalk, and 
semiamplexicaul ; the upper side is a dark green, the under side paler 
and glaucous, and more distinctly marked with the ramifications of the 
nerves, and dotted ; every where glabrous. 
The fotvers are produced in large, dense, capitate racemes, each accom- 
panied by a small linear bractea. Pedicel about | or fths of an inch 
long, and, as well as the calyx, which is 5-partite with linear segments, 
deep blackish-purple. Corolla large, infundibuliform, with the segments 
broadly lanceolate and erecto-patent ; the colour a beautiful deep reddish- 
purple, internally having some minute, sessile glands. Filaments of the 
stamens of the same colour, much protruded, their base inserted at the 
base of the segments of the corolla. Anthers deep purplish-blue. Pol- 
len greenish. Germen spherical, green. Sti/le strait, shorter than the 
corolla, purple. Stigma obtuse. 
Our Botanic Garden has derived the possession of this 
plant from the collection of his Royal Highness Prince Leo- 
pold, to whom we are probably indebted for its introduction 
to this country, for I do not find it to be mentioned in any of our 
horticultural Catalogues, although it appears to have been cul- 
tivated many years ago, both in the Botanic Gardens of Upsal 
and Amsterdam. 
VOL. III. 
