Family |
Lythraceae
Lythrum salicaria
L.
Lythrum salicaria L.
First published in Sp. Pl.: 446 (1753).
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 2, pp. 560–561, Pl. CCXLIII, 1; 1970)
Description
Life-form & habit: Erect perennial herb, 1–2 m tall, nearly hairless to hairy.
Leaves: Lanceolate with heart-shaped bases and pointed tips, opposite or whorled, sometimes alternate near the top.
Inflorescence & flowers: Dense, spike-like inflorescence built from opposite flower clusters. Calyx with 12 ribs and alternating triangular and longer, narrow teeth. Petals are pink, elliptic-spatulate; stamens number 12.
Fruit: Capsule enclosed by the persistent, somewhat enlarging calyx.
Flowering and habitat
Phenology: Flowering June–October.
Habitat & elevation: Banks of watercourses and marshes.
Distribution
Lebanese distribution: Nahr Aouali, Beirut, Antelias, Nahr el Kalb, Abey, banks of the Zair, Saida and Ammiq.
Syrian distribution: Outaya, Ras el Ain, Tell Alo, Euphrates banks, Barada banks, Hamme, south of Tartous and Ghouta.
Native range: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Altay, Amur, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Central European Russia, China North-Central, China South-Central, Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, East European Russia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Inner Mongolia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Irkutsk, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Khabarovsk, Kirgizstan, Korea, Krym, Kuril Is., Lebanon-Syria, Manchuria, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, New South Wales, North Caucasus, North European Russia, Northwest European Russia, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Pakistan, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Primorye, Qinghai, Queensland, Romania, Sakhalin, Sardegna, Sicilia, South Australia, South European Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Tasmania, Tibet, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Victoria, West Himalaya, West Siberia, Xinjiang.
Introduced into: Alabama, Alaska, Alberta, Arkansas, British Columbia, Buryatiya, California, Cape Provinces, Chile Central, Chile South, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Newfoundland, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Peru, Prince Edward I., Québec, Rhode I., Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.