Purple Loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria
Family: Lythraceae; Loosestrife Family
Vegetative Characteristics:
Seedling: cotyledons up to 5.0 mm long, orbicular becoming oblong to broadly oblong, almost triangular at base; petioles flattened; first true leaves up to 2.0 cm long, opposite, oblong, sessile, venation prominent, glabrous or nearly so
Stems: erect, 0.6-2.3 m tall, glabrous to finely pubescent, round to angular, up to 50 arising from large crown
Leaves: opposite or whorled, alternate and smaller near inflorescence, 2.0-15.0 cm long, 5.0-20.0 mm wide, simple, lanceolate to narrowly oblong or nearly linear, margins entire, sessile, larger leaves cordate at base, glabrous to finely pubescent
Reproductive Characteristics:
Inflorescences: terminal spike, 10.0-40.0 cm long, whorl-like cymes numerous, small, pubescent to subtomentose; sepals united into column with 8-12 prominent green veins ending in several long, thin, pointed lobes; petals 5-7, free, red-purple, 7.0-10.0 mm long; styles 3; stamens twice as many as petals
Fruits: capsule, oblong-ovoid, enclosed by persistent hypanthium
Seeds: broadly ovoid, less than 1.0 mm, red-brown, numerous per capsule
Special Identifying Characteristics:
⇒ escaped perennial ornamental with regrowth from crown; flowers numerous, very showy, red-purple
