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Lysimachiaasperulifolia Poiret. Pocosin Loosestrife, ‘Roughleaf Loosestrife’. Phen: May-Jun; Aug-Oct. Hab: Low pocosins, high pocosins, streamhead pocosins, savanna-pocosin ecotones, sandhill-pocosin ecotones. Dist: Endemic to the Coastal Plain of NC and SC.
ID notes:L. asperulifolia is a very distinctive species, easily recognized vegetatively by its whorls (or opposite on smaller plants) of sessile, rounded-based, acuminate, bluish-green (to yellowish-green when shaded or otherwise stressed) leaves on an unbranched stem 0.5-1 m in height. Young or depauperate plants may produce only opposite leaves and no flowers. When stems are injured or subjected to herbivory, they produce branches below the damaged site.
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Taxonomy Comments: Franklin (2001) studied the biology of this rare species.
Other Comments: The leaves of L. asperulifolia are not rough; the common name ‘roughleaf loosestrife’ is a misnomer, based on a mistranslation of the specific epithet, the translator erroneously assuming that ‘asperulifolia’ meant ‘rough-leaved’. The epithet actually refers to the perceived similarity of the leaves to those of the European Asperula odorata (treated in this work as Galium odoratum), Sweet Woodruff, a plant with which Poiret would have been very familiar (the leaves of G. odoratum are similar to those of L. asperulifolia in their whorled disposition).
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Horticultural Information
Intro:Erect, rhizomatous perennial of low and high pocosins, streamhead pocosins, savanna-pocosin ecotones and sandhill-pocosin ecotones; often forms colonies,.
Stems:Stems slender, unbranched, smooth or with gland-tipped hairs in upper 1/3 of stem.
Leaves:Leaves in whorls of 3 (sometimes 4), sessile, lance-shaped with sharp tip, to about 1 1/2 in. long, dark green, with margins rolled slightly downward and with gland-tipped hairs toward the base and along veins.
Inforescence:
Flowers:Flowers produced mostly following fires, in a terminal raceme to 4 in. long; each flower yellow, about 1/2 in. wide, consisting of 5 spreading, lance-oval petals with pointy tips and gland-tipped hairs.
Fruits:
Comments:A federal Endangered species; endemic to North and South Carolina.
Height:1-2 1/2 ft.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description:Erect, rhizomatous perennial of low and high pocosins, streamhead pocosins, savanna-pocosin ecotones and sandhill-pocosin ecotones; often forms colonies,.
stems:Stems slender, unbranched, smooth or with gland-tipped hairs in upper 1/3 of stem.
leaves:Leaves in whorls of 3 (sometimes 4), sessile, lance-shaped with sharp tip, to about 1 1/2 in. long, dark green, with margins rolled slightly downward and with gland-tipped hairs toward the base and along veins.
inflorescence:
flowers:Flowers produced mostly following fires, in a terminal raceme to 4 in. long; each flower yellow, about 1/2 in. wide, consisting of 5 spreading, lance-oval petals with pointy tips and gland-tipped hairs.
fruits:
comments:A federal Endangered species; endemic to North and South Carolina.
