![]() ex Colla is also now considered synonymous. salicaria is very variable in leaf shape and degree of hairiness, and a number of subspecies and varieties have been described, but it is now generally regarded as monotypic with none of these variants being considered of botanical significance. Bright crimson leaves at the onset of autumn The dead stalks from previous growing seasons are brown. When the seeds are mature, the leaves often turn bright red through dehydration in early autumn the red colour may last for almost two weeks. The fruit is a small 3–4 millimetres ( 1⁄ 8– 5⁄ 32 in) capsule containing numerous minute seeds. The flowers are visited by many types of insects, and can be characterized by a generalized pollination syndrome. The flowers are reddish purple, 10–20 millimetres ( 1⁄ 2– 3⁄ 4 in) in diameter, with six petals (occasionally five) and 12 stamens, and are clustered tightly in the axils of bracts or leaves there are three different flower types, with the stamens and style of different lengths, short, medium or long each flower type can only be pollinated by one of the other types, not the same type, thus ensuring cross-pollination between different plants. The leaves are lanceolate, 3–10 centimetres (1–4 in) long and 5–15 millimetres ( 3⁄ 16– 9⁄ 16 in) broad, downy and sessile, and arranged opposite or in whorls of three. The stems are reddish-purple and square in cross-section. Lythrum salicaria can grow 1–2 m (3 ft 3 in – 6 ft 7 in) tall, forming clonal colonies 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) or more in width, with numerous erect stems growing from a single woody root mass. Volume II of The Village Minstrel and Other Poems, John Clare, pg. Purple loosestrife was referred to several times as ‘Long Purples’ by John Clare, such as in his 1821 poem The Wildflower Nosegay: Īnd fine long purples shadow’d in the lake." It was coined by English naturalist William Turner in his 1548 work A New Herball, in which he states: " may in englishe be called red loosestryfe or purple loosestryfe." The English word loosestrife first appeared in written form in the 16th century. The specific epithet salicaria derives from the similarity of the leaves to those of willows or Salix species. ‘’Lysimachus’’ is derived from the Greek ‘’lysis’’, meaning ‘’loosing’’ and ‘’mache’’, meaning strife. 23-79) stated that Lythrum is named for Lysimachus, an army general and friend of Alexander the Great. The generic name Lythrum is derived from the Greek ‘lythron’, meaning blood, in reference to the flower colour in some species. This herbaceous perennial is native to Europe and Asia, and possibly Australia. Other names include spiked loosestrife and purple Lythrum. It should not be confused with other plants sharing the name loosestrife that are members of the family Primulaceae. Lythrum salicaria or purple loosestrife is a flowering plant belonging to the family Lythraceae.
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