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Lythraceae J. Saint-Hilaire. Common name: Loosestrife Family.

Key to Lythraceae

A family of about 27-35 genera and about 600 species, herbs, shrubs, and trees, primarily tropical (a few warm temperate). Keys adapted, in large part, from Graham (1975).

ID notes: Plants in the Lythraceae typically have leaves with entire margins (except Trapa), stems often 4-angled (at least on younger stems), axillary glands present at the junction of the petiole base and stem, conspicuously undulate petals, a persistent hypanthium, and fruits as capsules (except berries in Punica and horned drupes in Trapa).

References: Graham (1975); Graham In Kubitzki, Bayer, & Stevens (2007). Show full citations.

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Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend. Data for arrows not developed for genera and families which may have species only occurring outside the flora area.

image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Lythrum | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© oxidized_guacamole, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) | Trapa source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Ammannia | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Decodon verticillatus | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Lagerstroemia | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware | Cuphea CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware | Cuphea CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Lagerstroemia indica | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson | Trapa source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Decodon verticillatus | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Keith Bradley | Lythrum | Original Image ⭷

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