Lysimachia
| Lysimachia | |
|---|---|
| |
| Yellow pimpernel, Lysimachia nemorum | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| (unranked): | |
| (unranked): | |
| (unranked): | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Subfamily: | Myrsinoideae
|
| Genus: | Lysimachia |
Lysimachia /ˌlaɪs[invalid input: 'ɨ']ˈmeɪkiə/[1] is a genus consisting of 193 accepted species of flowering plants traditionally classified in the family Primulaceae.[2] Based on a molecular phylogenetic study it was transferred to the family Myrsinaceae,[3] before this family was later merged into the Primulaceae.[4]
Characteristics
Lysimachia species often have yellow flowers, and grow vigorously. They tend to grow in damp conditions. Several species within Lysimachia are commonly called loosestrife, although this name is also used for plants within the genus Lythrum. The genus is named in honor of Lysimachus, a king of ancient Sicily, who is said to have calmed a mad ox by feeding it a member of the genus.[5]
Lysimachia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some butterflies and moths, including the Dot Moth, Grey Pug, Lime-speck Pug, Small Angle Shades and V-pug.
Specialized Pollinators
Bees of the genus Macropis are specialized to pollinate oil-producing Lysimachia plants. These bees use exclusively Lysimachia floral oils for building theirs nests and provisioning cells. A 2007 study found Lysimachia floral-specific chemicals were strong attractors for Macropis nuda and Macropis fulvipes bees that are seldom found in other plant genera.[6]
Selected species
- Lysimachia asperulifolia, orth. var. L. asperulaefolia - roughleaf yellow loosestrife (endemic to Atlantic coastal plain in N-S Carolina)
- Lysimachia atropurpurea - Purple gooseneck loosestrife
- Lysimachia ciliata L. - Fringed loosestrife (North America)
- Lysimachia clethroides - Gooseneck loosestrife
- Lysimachia congestiflora
- Lysimachia daphnoides (A.Gray) Hillebr. Lehua makanoe (Island of Kauaʻi in Hawaiʻi)
- Lysimachia fraseri Duby - Fraser's yellow loosestrife (Southeastern United States)
- Lysimachia filifolia C.N.Forbes (Islands of Oʻahu and Kauaʻi in Hawaiʻi)
- Lysimachia glutinosa
- Lysimachia hillebrandii Hook.f. ex A.Gray - Kolokolo kuahiwi (Hawaiʻi)
- Lysimachia hybrida Michx.
- Lysimachia iniki - Wailua River yellow loosestrife (endemic to Kauai, Hawaii)
- Lysimachia japonica
- Lysimachia lichiangensis Forrest
- Lysimachia lydgatei - Maui yellow loosestrife. (endemic to Maui, Hawaii)
- Lysimachia maritima
- Lysimachia maxima (R.Knuth) H.St.John (Island of Molokaʻi in Hawaiʻi)
- Lysimachia minoricensis J.J.Rodr. (Spain)
- Lysimachia nemorum L. - Yellow pimpernel
- Lysimachia nummularia L. - Creeping Jenny, Moneywort (Europe)
- Lysimachia pendens
- Lysimachia punctata - spotted loosestrife
- Lysimachia quadriflora Sims - Fourflower yellow loosestrife (Eastern North America)
- Lysimachia quadrifolia L. - Whorled loosestrife (Eastern North America)
- Lysimachia scopulensis
- Lysimachia sertulata - Chilean melilukul
- Lysimachia terrestris (L.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb. - Swamp candles (North America)
- Lysimachia thyrsiflora - tufted loosestrife
- Lysimachia venosa - Veined yellow loosestrife (endemic to Kauai, Hawaii)
- Lysimachia verticillaris
- Lysimachia vulgaris L. - Garden loosestrife, Yellow loosestrife (Eurasia)
References
- ^ Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607
- ^ "The Plant List, Lysimachia".
- ^ M. Källersjö, G. Bergqvist & A. A. Anderberg (2000). "Generic realignment in primuloid families of the Ericales s. l.: a phylogenetic analysis based on DNA sequences from three chloroplast genes and morphology". American Journal of Botany. 87 (9). American Journal of Botany, Vol. 87, No. 9: 1325–1341. doi:10.2307/2656725. JSTOR 2656725. PMID 10991903.
- ^ Angiosperm Phylogeny Group III (2009). "An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG III". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 161 (2): 105–121. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2009.00996.x.
- ^ Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Native Plant Information Network (NPIN)
- ^ Schäffler; Dötterl (February 2007). "Flower Scent of Floral Oil-Producing Lysimachia punctata as Attractant for the Oil-Bee Macropis fulvipes". Journal of Chemical Ecology.
External links
- Lysimachus' Dog & Nisaean Horses - Informative but non-scholarly essay on Lysimachia & Lysimachus (Annotated with Sources).
- Pictures of Lysimachia sertulata.
- PAF - Lysimachia clethroides - Duby.