( 229 .) 
LY'THRUM* *. 
Linncan Class and Order. DoDECA'NDUTAf, Monogy'nia. 
Natural Order. Lythrarje'.®, Juss. — Loud. Hort. Brit. p. 
514. — Don’s Gen. Syst. of Gard. and Bot. v. ii. p. 706. — Salica'- 
ri.e, Juss. Gen. PI. p. 330. — Lindl. Syn. p. 71.; Introd. to Nat. 
Syst. of Bot. p. 59. — Rich, by Macgilliv. p.527. — Rosales; sect. 
Onagrinas; type, Lythracea: ; Burn. Outl. of Bot. pp. 614, 
722, & 726. — CalycantiiemjE, Linn. 
Gen. Char. Calyx (fig. 1.) inferior, of 1 sepal, tubular, striated, 
with 12 teeth, alternately larger and smaller. Corolla (figs. 3 & 4.) 
of 6 elliptic-oblong, equal, wavy, spreading petals, with short 
claws, inserted upon the calyx. Filaments (see fig. 6.) 1 2, thread- 
shaped, from the tube of the calyx, shorter than the corolla, the 
6 alternate ones shortest, and sometimes wanting ; all incurved 
while young. Anthers roundish, incumbent. German (fig. 7.) 
superior, egg-oblong. Style (see fig. 7.) thread-shaped, about the 
length of the longest stamens, a little curved. Stigma capitate. 
Capsule inclosed in the tube of the calyx, oblong, membranous, 
pointed, of 2 cells, (see figs. 8 & 9). Seeds (figs. 10 & 11.) numer- 
ous, minute, inversely egg-oblong. 
The inferior, tubular, 12-toothed calyx; the coralla of 6 petals, 
inserted in the orifice of the calyx ; and the oblong, 2-celled, many- 
seeded capsule, will distinguish this genus from others in the same 
class and order. 
Two species British. 
LY'THRUM SALICA'RIA.J Willow I.ythrum. Spiked Purple- 
Loosestrife. Purple Willow-herb. Purple Grasspoly. 
Spec. Char. Leaves opposite, lanceolate, heart-shaped at the 
base. Flowers nearly sessile ; in whorled leafy spikes. Stamens 12. 
Engl. Bot. 1. 1061. — Curt. FI. Lond. 1. 186. Curt. Brit. Entom. v. vi. t.289. — 
Linn. Sp. PI. p. 640. — Willd. Sp. PI. v. ii. pt. n. p.865. — Htids. FI. Angl. 
(2nd ed.) p. 205. — Sm. FI. Brit. v. ii. p. 510. Engl. FI. v. ii. p. 344. — With. 
(7th ed.) v. ii. p. 573.— Lindl. Syn. p. 72.— Hook. Brit. FI. p. 217— Liglitf. FI. 
Scot. v. i. p.247. — Sibth. FI. Oxon. p. 149. — Abb. FI. Bedf. p. 103— Davies’ 
Welsh Bot. p. 45.— Putt. Midi. FI. v.i. p.226.— Relh. FI. Cant. (3rd edit.) p. 
188. — Hook. FI. Scot. p. 147. — FI. Devon, pp. 79 & 169. — Johnst. FI. of Berw. 
v. i. p. 105. — Winch’s FI. of Northumb. and Durham, p. 31. — Walk. FI. of Oxf. 
p. 132. — Don’s Gen. Syst. of Gard. and Bot. v.ii. p. 712. — Perry’s PI. Vaivio. 
Select®, p. 42. — Bab. FI. Bath. p. 18. — Mack. Catal. of PI. of Irel. p. 46.; 
FI. Hibern. pt. t. p. 70. — Ly'thrum spicdtum, Gray’s Nat. Arr. v. i. p. 553. — 
Salicaria vulgaris purpurea, foliis oblongis. Ray’s Syn. p. 367. — Lysimdchia 
spicdta purpurea, Johnson’s Gerarde, p. 276. 
Localitifs. — On the margins of rivers, ponds, wet ditches, and in watery 
places; common. 
Perennial — Flowers from June to September. 
Root thick, branched, woody. Stems from 2 to 4 feet, or more, 
Fig. 1. Calyx. — Fig. 2. Ditto, with the Stamens. — Figs. 3 & 4. Calyx and 
Corolla. — Fig. 5. The same opened vertically, showing the situation of the pe- 
tals. — Fig. 6. The Calyx opened vertically, showing the Stamens and Pistil. — 
Fig. 7. Germen, Style, and Stigma. — F'ig. 8. A Capsule. — Fig. 9. The same, 
a little magnified. — F'ig. 10. A Seed. — Fig. 11. Ditto, a little magnified. 
* From Lythron, Gr. black-blood ; from the purple colour of the flower. Don. 
t See Reseda lutea, folio 15, note f. 
} From salix, a willow ; willow-like leaves. 
