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Photographer: Derek Anderson
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Family Lythraceae
Lythrum salicaria L.
purple loosestrife, spiked loosestrife
Lythrum: from Greek lythron meaning "blood," and alluding to the color of the flowers or to the reputed styptic (tending to contract or bind, tending to check bleeding) qualities of some species
salicaria: willow-like from old generic name
Restricted Invasive - Eradicate!
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| Status: | Introduced - naturalized; ecologically invasive and nuisance weed |
| Plant: | erect, perennial, 1'-4' tall, semi-aquatic, emergent forb, stout, often in dense stands; stems angled with 4, 5, or more sides; roots woody |
| Flower: | purple to red, 6-parted, wrinkled, 1/2"-1" wide; inflorescence a 4"-16" tall, terminal, spike-like cluster (thryse) of small clumps of many flowers; blooms July-Sept. |
| Leaf: | 1 1/2"- 4 1/2" long, lance-like, stalkless, usually finely hairy, opposite or in whorls of 3 |
| Habitat: | wet; meadows, shores, shallows |
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