E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of BC

Lythrum hyssopifolia L.
Hyssop loosestrife
Lythraceae (Loosestrife family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

Currently no image is available for this taxon.

Map

Distribution of Lythrum hyssopifolia
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Annual herb from a fibrous root; stems erect, several, simple to branched, glabrous, obscurely 4-angled, 10-40 cm tall.

Leaves:
Basal leaves lacking; stem leaves alternate below or some opposite, linear to narrowly oblong, 1-2.5 cm long, 1-8 mm wide, tapered at the bases.

Flowers:
Inflorescence of solitary or paired, unstalked, axillary flowers; hypanthium 4-5 mm tall; petals 5, 6 or lacking, white to rose, 2-3.5 mm long; calyces with 4-6 teeth.

Fruits:
Capsules, elongate; seeds egg-shaped.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

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 disturbed areas in the lowland and steppe zones; rare in SW and SC BC, known only from Mud Lake (Oliver area) and Surrey; introduced from Europe.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Status Information

Origin Status	Provincial Status	BC List (Red Blue List)	COSEWIC
Exotic	SNA	Exotic	Not Listed

BC Ministry of Environment: BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer.

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Lythrum adsurgens Greene
Lythrum hyssopifolia

Taxonomic Keys

KEY TO LYTHRUM

1. Hypanthium bell-shaped to hemispheric, petals usually 4, not showy.................Lythrum portula
1. Hypanthium elongate-cylindric to conic, several times as long as thick; petals 5, 6 or lacking,usually showy.

2. Plants annual, 10-40 cm tall; lower leaves usually alternate; petals 2-3.5 mm long, white to rose...........................Lythrum hyssopifolia
2. Plants perennial, 40-200 cm tall; lower leaves usually opposite; petals 7-10 mm long, reddish-purple to purple.........................Lythrum. salicaria

Source: Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

A fourth species of Lythrum is now recognized in BC: Lythrum alatum (winged loosestrife). This species is not included in the IFBC key, but is described by Hitchcock and Cronquist (1973) as: Main leaves 3-10 cm, not cordate; petals purple, ca 5 mm; plants 4-10 dm. View a photo.