Lysimachia terrestris (L.) BSP. - Swamp Candles


 

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Lysimachia terrestris - (image 1 of 4)

 

Taxonomy

Family: Primulaceae

Habitat

Open swamps and wet soil. Also occurs in bogs and fens.

Associates

 

Distribution

Eastern Canada and New England, south to GA, and west to IA and MN. Also occurs in the Northwest and adjacent Canada.

Morphology

Smooth, perennial herb from stoloniform rhizomes. Leaves opposite, narrow, punctate; long bulbets develop late in the season in leaf axils. Flowers yellow, numerous, in a terminal raceme.

Notes

Flowers June to August.

Wetland indicator: Obligate

A sterile hybrid occurs between this and L. thyrisiflora and has been named L. x commixta Fernald. It can be distinguished from L. terrestris by having racemes borne from the middle leaf axils. This hybrid might be applicable to the plants pictured here as they appear to have axial racemes.

The specific epithet means "on land", which is an interesting choice considering this plant is always found near water and often in standing water. It may refer to the roots which lie close to or on the soil surface.

The authority "BSP" stands for Britton, Sterns and Poggenb.   

Bibliography

Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.
The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY.

 

Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.

 

USDA, NRCS. 2002. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov).

National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

 

 


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 Michael Hough © 2009