''Lysimachia clethroides'', the gooseneck loosestrife, is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

, traditionally

classified Classified may refer to: General *Classified information, material that a government body deems to be sensitive *Classified advertising or "classifieds" Music *Classified (rapper) (born 1977), Canadian rapper * The Classified, a 1980s American ro ...

in the family

Primulaceae The Primulaceae ( ), commonly known as the primrose family (but not related to the Onagraceae, evening primrose family), are a family (biology), family of Herbaceous plant, herbaceous and woody flowering plants including some favourite garden pla ...

. It was transferred to the family

Myrsinaceae Myrsinoideae is a subfamily of the family Primulaceae in the order Ericales. It was formerly recognized as the family Myrsinaceae, or the myrsine family, consisting of 35 genera and about 1000 species. It is widespread in temperate to tropical c ...

based on a

molecular phylogenetic Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...

study, but this family was later merged into the Primulaceae.

Description

''Lysimachia clethroides'' can reach heights of . This

hardy Hardy may refer to: People * Hardy (surname) * Hardy (given name) * Hardy (singer), American singer-songwriter Places Antarctica * Mount Hardy, Enderby Land * Hardy Cove, Greenwich Island * Hardy Rocks, Biscoe Islands Australia * Hardy, ...

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of ...

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

resembles a tall speedwell. The stem is upright and rigid. The leaves are scattered, alternate, oblong or broadly lanceolate, about 5 cm wide, 7 to 11 cm long, with entire margins. The flowers are tiny (1.2 cm wide), grouped in terminal spikes, each flower being snow white, with five petals. The inflorescence is bent with a sparsely haired axis, reaching a length of 22 to 24 cm. It flowers throughout summer. This plant forms underground stolons. It is a pioneer plant in its natural range. The

specific epithet In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...

''clethroides'' means "like alder" (''

Clethra ''Clethra'' is a genus of flowering shrubs or small trees described as a genus by Linnaeus in 1753.native Native may refer to: People * '' Jus sanguinis'', nationality by blood * '' Jus soli'', nationality by location of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Nat ...

range of this plant is China and Japan. It is also found in Russia, Korea, and North America. It is present in damp woodland margins, wet ravines and forests, sunny grassy hills, and mountain slopes at elevations of above sea level. It prefers deep, rich loam and sheltered positions. This plant has gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. It includes the full range of cultivated p ...

Use in culinary and traditional medicine

In China, most commonly in

Chaoshan Chaoshan or Teoswa ( zh, s=潮汕, p=Cháoshàn, cy=Chìusaan; peng'im: ) is a cultural-linguistic region in the east of Guangdong, China. It is the origin of the Teochew Min language. The region, also known as Chiushan in Cantonese, consists of ...

region, leaves from lysimachia clethroides are used in culinary as

leaf vegetable Leaf vegetables, also called leafy greens, vegetable greens, or simply greens, are plant leaves eaten as a vegetable, sometimes accompanied by their petioles and shoots, if tender. Leaf vegetables eaten raw in a salad can be called salad gre ...

, for making salads, stir-fried dishes, or soups. Leafy greens from the plant are known as pearl vegetable, and they contain low-sodium and high-potassium. In medicine, lysimachia clethroides are also known as dwarf peach, pearl grass, regulating grass, the ridge grass, ji cocktail, labor injury medicine, stretch lotion, and nine lotus. They are used to treat diarrhea, bruises, sore throat, heat exhaustion, and edema.

Gallery

File:Lysimachia clethroides 01.JPG , Plants File:Klaffer - Kräutergarten - Schnee-Felberich (Lysimachia clethroides) - 2.jpg, Inflorescence File:Lysimachia clethroides 02.JPG , Leaves File:Lysimachia clethroides 04.JPG , Close-up on a leaf File:LAUFER Goosneck Loosestrife.jpg , Bumblebee on Lysimachia clethroides

References

Global speciesPlants.USDA

External links

Lysimachia clethroides in Plants for a FutureMissouri Botanical Gardens
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1070109 clethroides Flora of Eastern Asia Flora of China Flora of the Russian Far East Leaf vegetables Plants used in traditional Chinese medicine