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''Lythrum'' is a
genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of 38 species of
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 ...
s
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 ...
to the
temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (approximately 23.5° to 66.5° N/S of the Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ran ...
world. Commonly known as loosestrife (a name they share with ''
Lysimachia ''Lysimachia'' ( ) is a genus consisting of 182 accepted species of flowering plants traditionally classified in the family Primulaceae. Based on a molecular phylogenetic study it was transferred to the family Myrsinaceae, before this family w ...
'', which are not closely related), they are among 32 genera of the family
Lythraceae Lythraceae is a family (biology), family of flowering plants, including 32 genus, genera, with about 620 species of Herbaceous plant, herbs, shrubs, and trees. The larger genera include ''Cuphea'' (275 spp.), ''Lagerstroemia'' (56), ''Nesaea (pl ...
.


Description

They are
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 ...
annuals or
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 ...
s. Typically they have square stems, narrow stalkless leaves, and spikes of star-shaped flowers in shades of purple, pink and white. They are especially associated with boggy areas, river banks and ponds, though in cultivation they often tolerate drier conditions. The species ''L. salicaria'' (purple loosestrife) and ''L. virgatum'' are found in cultivation.


Selected species

Species include:''Lythrum'' L.
USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commerc ...
PLANTS.
Common name for ''L. junceum'' Common name for ''L. wilsonii''


Formerly placed here

*'' Cuphea carthagenensis'' (Jacq.) J.F.Macbr. (as ''L. carthagenense'' Jacq.) *'' Cuphea melanium'' (L.) R.Br. ex Steud. (as ''L. melanium'' L.) *'' Cuphea parsonsia'' (L.) R.Br. ex Steud. (as ''L. parsonsia'' L.) * ''Cuphea racemosa'' subsp. ''racemosa'' (as ''L. racemosum'' L.f.) *'' Cuphea viscosissima'' Jacq. (as ''L. petiolatum'' L.) *''
Pleurophora anomala ''Pleurophora'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Lythraceae. The native range of its species spans from Venezuela to southern South America. Species The following species are recognised in the genus ''Pleurophora'': *'' ...
'' (A. St.-Hil.) Koehne (as ''L. anomalum'' A.St.-Hil.) *'' Woodfordia fruticosa'' (L.) Kurz (as ''L. fruticosum'' L.)


Morphology

Some species of ''Lythrum'' are heterostylous, such as the tristylous (occurring in three forms) ''L. salicaria''.


Ecology

''Lythrum'' species are used as food plants by the
larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...
e of some
Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...
species, including the small emperor moth, the engrailed, the Hebrew character, and the V-pug.


As a noxious weed in the United States

The genus ''Lythrum'' is listed as a noxious weed in
Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
,
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
, and
Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
.


Fossil record

So far the oldest evidence of Lythrum is fossil pollen from the early
Campanian The Campanian is the fifth of six ages of the Late Cretaceous epoch on the geologic timescale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS). In chronostratigraphy, it is the fifth of six stages in the Upper Cretaceous Series. Campa ...
, 82–81'' ''Ma of
Wyoming Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...
.Graham, Shirley A. “Fossil Records in the Lythraceae.” Botanical Review, vol. 79, no. 1, 2013, pp. 48–145., www.jstor.org/stable/41809868. Accessed 20 Sept. 2020.


References

Lythraceae genera {{Myrtales-stub