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Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains

Lysimachia L.--Loosestrife

Typically erect, rhizomatous perennials. Leaves opposite (occasionally appearing whorled in L. quadriflora due to axillary leaf fascicles), sessile or petiolate, the blades generally ovate, ovate-lanceolate, lanceolate or linear, the petioles or leaf bases frequently fringed with cilia. Flowers yellow, single and pedicellate from the leaf axils, or numerous in pedunculate, axillary racemes; calyx green, deeply (3-)5(-9)-parted nearly to the base; corolla yellow or pale yellow, deeply (3-)5(-9)-parted, rotate, the tube very short; stamens adnate to the corolla near the base, sometimes alternating with small, membranous staminodes. Capsules globose to broadly ovoid, tardily dehiscent from the apex, containing few to many angular seeds which cohere to the placenta.

References:

  Coffey, V. J.  1973.  Biosystematic study of the section Seleucia, genus
     Lysimachia (Primulaceae).  Unpubl. Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Georgia.  	
     244 pp. 

Ray, J. D., Jr.  1956.  The genus Lysimachia in the New World.  Illinois 	
     Biol. Monogr. 24:1-160.

Lead	Characteristic	Go To
1	Flowers clustered in dense axillary racemes; foliage punctate with dark glands.	L. thyrsiflora
1	Flowers single from the axils, borne on slender pedicels; foliage not punctate.	Lead 2
2	Cauline leaves sessile, linear, 1.5-6 mm wide.	L. quadriflora
2	Cauline leaves distinctly petioled or subsessile, the blades ovate to lanceolate, 6-60 mm wide.	Lead 3
3	Leaf blades ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 20-60 mm wide; petioles distinct, fringed with cilia for the entire length.	L. ciliata
3	Leaf blades ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, 6-20 mm wide; petioles of middle and upper cauline leaves rather poorly distinguished from the blade, especially shortened upward, winged, ciliate at least in the lower half.	L. hybrida

23. Primulaceae, the Primrose Family

2. Lysimachia L. -- Loosestrife

1. Lysimachia ciliata L. -- Fringed loosestrife

2. Lysimachia hybrida Michx.

3. Lysimachia quadriflora Sims

4. Lysimachia thyrsiflora L. -- Water loosestrife

Return to Family -- Primulaceae - The Primrose Family
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