Lysimachia Tourn. ex L.

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2014) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 2: Lythraceae to Campanulaceae.

Morphology General Habit

Procumbent or erect, mostly perennial herbs or rarely subshrubs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, opposite or verticillate, entire, often glandular

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers axillary or in spikes, racemes, corymbs or panicles

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx ± deeply 5–6-lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla ± campanulate, 5–6-lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary globose, style filiform

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 5–6, ± adnate to corolla, sometimes alternating with staminodes

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule ovoid or globose, 5-valved, few- or many-seeded

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds oblong, orbicular or angular, sometimes winged.

Distribution

Distributed from Europe east to the Far East and Eastern Asia, south through tropical Asia to Australia; Africa including Azores, Madagascar and Mascarenes; Hawai’ian Is., North America.

Note

Lysimachia (from Gr. λύσις, lysis, release and μάχη, machi, (from) strife, or to commemorate King Lysimachus (c. 360–281 BCE)).

Primulaceae, P. Taylor. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1958

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herbs or rarely shrubs, prostrate or erect

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, opposite or verticillate, entire

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers solitary, axillary, racemose or paniculate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx more or less deeply 5–6-lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla rotate or subcampanulate, 5–6-lobed, white, yellow or rarely (as in the tropical African species) pink or purple

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens inserted on the corolla-tube; staminodes often present and alternating with them

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary globose or ovoid; style filiform

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule dehiscing by 5 valves, few- to many-seeded

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds various, usually angular.

Primulaceae, P. Taylor. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1958

Morphology General Habit

Glabrous annual or perennial herbs, erect or prostrate and rooting at the nodes

Morphology Leaves

Leaves sessile or subpetiolate, alternate or opposite, capillary to orbicular, entire

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers small, pedicellate or rarely sessile, solitary and axillary or in terminal or subterminal racemes

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-segments 5 (rarely 4 or 6), lanceolate; margins aften hyaline

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla hypocrateriform to subcampanulate; lobes 5 (rarely 4 or 6), 1/2 to almost the length of the corolla, rounded or acuminate, sometimes glandular-ciliate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Filaments ± connate at the base (sometimes very shortly) all, or the lower part of, the connate part adnate to the corolla-tube, the free part often bearded with multi-cellular hairs; anthers ovoid or oblong, obtuse or acute

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary globose, glabrous or covered with granular glands

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule globose or obovoid, indehiscent or circumscissile

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 3-angled or globose, smooth or minutely papillose, 1–many.

Primulaceae, F. K. Kupicha. Flora Zambesiaca 7:1. 1983

Morphology General Habit

Glabrous annual and perennial herbs; stems erect or prostrate and rooting at the nodes.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves sessile or subpetiolate, alternate or opposite, elliptic to suborbicular or rarely capillary, entire.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers small, 5(6)–merous, pedicellate or rarely sessile, solitary in leaf axils or in terminal racemes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx gamosepalous, divided almost to the base; segments often with hyaline margins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla subcampanulate; lobes shortly connate at the base, usually white or pale pink, rarely (in F.Z. area) bright blue or red.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 5, oppositipetalous and epipetalous, adnate to the base of the corolla; filaments free or connate into a short tube, often bearded with multicellular hairs; anthers basifixed, introrse, ± square to oblong.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary globose, 5–carpelled, unilocular, with terminal simple terete style and capitate stigma; placentation free–central.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit globose or obovoid, circumscissile or indehiscent, 1– or many–seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ellipsoid, 3–angled, dark brown, papillose.

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2014) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 2: Lythraceae to Campanulaceae.

Morphology General Habit

Glabrous annual or perennial herbs

Morphology Stem

Stems erect or prostrate and rooting at nodes

Morphology Leaves

Leaves sessile or shortly petiolate, alternate or opposite, capillary to orbicular, entire

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers solitary and axillary or in terminal racemes

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx deeply (4–)5(–6)-lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla ± deeply (4–)5(–6)-lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments

Filaments ± connate at base, often bearded

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary often with granular glands

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule globose, indehiscent and 1-seeded or usually circumscissile and many-seeded

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds usually 3-angled.

Distribution

A largely Mediterranean and tropical African genus with the following species also throughout the cooler parts of the world as a weed of cultivation.

Note

Anagallis (from Gr. αναγαλλις, anagallis, Pimpernel).

Primulaceae, P. Taylor. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1958

Morphology General Habit

Glabrous annual herbs; stems erect, simple or usually much branched

Morphology Leaves

Leaves sessile, opposite, lanceolate or ovate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers solitary, axillary, pedicellate, erect at anthesis, strongly recurved in fruit

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx deeply 5-lobed; lobes lanceolate, acute

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla rotate-campanulate, 5-lobed, minute; lobes orbicular or elliptic, much shorter than the calyx

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens inserted at the base of the corolla, shorter than the corolla-lobes; filaments filiform; anthers globose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary globose; style filiform

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule globose, dehiscing by 5 valves, 2–many-seeded

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 3-angled.

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2014) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 2: Lythraceae to Campanulaceae.

Morphology General Habit

Glabrous annual herbs

Morphology Stem

Stems erect, simple or branched

Morphology Leaves

Leaves sessile, opposite, lanceolate or ovate, entire

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers axillary, solitary, pedicellate, erect at anthesis, strongly recurved in fruit

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx deeply 5-lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 5-lobed, lobes much shorter than calyx, white or yellow

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule globose, dehiscing by 5 valves

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 2-many, tuberculate.

Distribution

A genus of two species; Mediterranean region to Krim, Caucasus and Iran; in Africa, south to Tanzania.

Note

Asterolinon (from Gr. αστέρι, asteri, star, λινον, linon, flax).