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Lysimachia quadrifolia Linnaeus. Common name: Whorled Loosestrife. Phenology: May-Aug; Aug-Oct. Habitat: A wide variety of forests and openings, including pine savannas of the outer Coastal Plain, ranging from moist to very dry. Distribution: ME west to WI and MN, south to SC, c. GA, AL, and TN.

ID notes: Although the species normally has whorled leaves, immature and small plants often have opposite leaves only. See L. fraseri for discussion of vegetative features useful in distinguishing the two species.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: L. ×radfordii H.E. Ahles, a hybrid of L. loomisii × quadrifolia, is morphologically intermediate between its parents.

Synonymy : = C, F, FNA8, G, GW2, Il, K1, K3, K4, Mi, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, S, Tat, Tn, Va, W, WV

Links to other floras: = Lysimachia quadrifolia - FNA8

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
  • Midwest: FACU
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACU

Heliophily : 5

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image of plant© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plantno rights reserved, uploaded by Alan Weakley source CC0 | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Cressler: Lysimachia quadrifolia, Blue Ridge Parkway, near Mt. Jefferson Overlook, Ashe County, North Carolina 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Scott Ward source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Radford, Ahles and Bell | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect, rhizomatous perennial of a wide variety of forests and openings, including pine savannas of the outer Coastal Plain, ranging from moist to very dry.

Stems: Stems stout to slender, rarely branched, hairy.

Leaves: Leaves in whorls of 4-5 (can be 2-7), sessile or short-petiolate, elliptic to lance-shaped, 1 1/2-4 in. long, with fringed-hairy margins and minute black dots on upper surface.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers nodding on slender stalks from leaf axils, 4-5 per node and held just above leaves; yellow; about 1/2 in. wide; consisting of 5 sharply pointed, oval petals streaked with black and red at the base, and slightly shorter, linear-lance-shaped sepals that are green with black dots/streaks.

Fruits: Fruit a round to oval capsule.

Comments:

Height: 1-3 ft.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect, rhizomatous perennial of a wide variety of forests and openings, including pine savannas of the outer Coastal Plain, ranging from moist to very dry.

stems: Stems stout to slender, rarely branched, hairy.

leaves: Leaves in whorls of 4-5 (can be 2-7), sessile or short-petiolate, elliptic to lance-shaped, 1 1/2-4 in. long, with fringed-hairy margins and minute black dots on upper surface.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers nodding on slender stalks from leaf axils, 4-5 per node and held just above leaves; yellow; about 1/2 in. wide; consisting of 5 sharply pointed, oval petals streaked with black and red at the base, and slightly shorter, linear-lance-shaped sepals that are green with black dots/streaks.

fruits: Fruit a round to oval capsule.

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