Lysimachia punctata L.
spotted loosestrife (large yellow loosestrife)
Myrsinaceae (Myrsine family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
spotted loosestrife (large yellow loosestrife)
Myrsinaceae (Myrsine family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Species Information
General:
Perennial herb from a rhizome; stems erect, several, simple, slightly if at all dotted with reddish- or purplish-black spots, densely glandular-hairy, 60-120 cm tall.
Leaves:
Basal leaves lacking; stem leaves in whorls of 3 or 4, broadly lanceolate.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of axillary whorled flowers, 3-5 per axil in the upper part of the stems, leafy or on short branches; corollas uniformly yellow, 10-16 (18) mm wide, without streaks or dots, cup-shaped, 5-lobed, the 5-lobes glandular-fringed with small hairs; calyces green throughout, 5-lobed, the lobes to 10 mm long, the filaments fused at the bases, sterile stamens lacking; styles persistent.
Fruits:
Capsules, breaking into valves at dispersal; seeds few.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
Habitat and Range
Moist roadsides and ditches in the lowland zone; infrequent garden escape in BC west of the Coast-Cascade Mountains; introduced from Europe.Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Lysimachia punctata var. verticillata (M. Bieb.) Klatt