Lythrum

Lythrum
Lythrum salicaria
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Lythraceae
Genus:	Lythrum L.
Species
See text.
Synonyms
Peplis L. Salicaria Mill.

Lythrum is a genus commonly known as loosestrife. It is one of 32 genera of the family Lythraceae.

Selected species

Lythrum alatum Pursh – Winged lythrum Lythrum californicum Torr. & A.Gray – California loosestrife Lythrum curtissii Fernald – Curtiss' loosestrife Lythrum flagellare Shuttlw. ex Chapm. – Florida loosestrife Lythrum hyssopifolium L. – Hyssop loosestrife Lythrum junceum Banks & Sol. – False grass-poly Lythrum lineare L. – Wand lythrum Lythrum maritimum Kunth – Pūkāmole (Peru, Hawaii)

Lythrum ovalifolium Koehne – Low loosestrife Lythrum portula (L.) D.A.Webb – Spatulaleaf loosestrife Lythrum salicaria L. – Purple loosestrife Lythrum thymifolia L. – Thymeleaf loosestrife Lythrum tribracteatum Salzm. ex Spreng. – Threebract loosestrife Lythrum virgatum L. – European wand loosestrife Lythrum wilsonii Hewson – Wilson's loosestrife

List sources :

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 (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 larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Emperor Moth, The Engrailed (recorded on Lythrum salicaria), Hebrew Character and The V-pug.