Ludwigia bonariensis |
Ludwigia suffruticosa |
|
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Carolina primrose-willow |
shrubby primrose-willow, shrubby primrose-willow or seedbox |
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Habit | Herbs, from woody rootstock. | Herbs with 1–3 rhizomes 0.6–5.5 × 0.2–0.5 mm, often branched, glabrous or densely hirtellous, sometimes also forming stolons 8–80 cm, 1.1–2.2 mm thick, branched, glabrous or sparsely to densely hirtellous. |
Stems | erect, subterete, 20–120 cm, branched, glabrate proximally, or strigillose, especially in distal parts, with raised strigillose lines decurrent from leaf axils mid stem. |
erect, slightly ridged, unbranched or slightly branched, (16–)30–90 cm, glabrous or strigillose to hirtellous, especially on distal parts. |
Leaves | stipules narrowly deltate, 0.3–0.5 × 0.1–0.2 mm; petiole winged, 0.1–0.7 cm; blade narrowly to broadly lanceolate, 4–15 × 0.3–1(–3) cm, base tapered, margins subentire to inconspicuously glandular-serrulate, apex acute to acuminate, surfaces finely strigillose, especially on abaxial veins, sometimes glabrate; bracts narrower, reduced in size. |
alternate; stipules deltate, 0.25–0.45 × 0.15–0.4 mm; rhizomes: sessile, blades minute, appressed, and scalelike, oblate or suborbiculate, 0.3–0.6 × 0.6–0.9 mm; stolons: petiole 0.1–0.6 cm, blade oblong or oblanceolate-elliptic to spatulate, 0.4–3.5 × 0.2–1.5 cm; main stem: sessile, blade lanceolate-elliptic or lanceolate-linear to linear, 2.5–9.5 × (0.1–)0.3–0.9 cm, proximal ones shorter and often oblong or oblong-lanceolate, base rounded or obtuse, margins entire with obscure hydathodal glands, apex acuminate to acute, surfaces glabrous or, sometimes, pilose on proximal blades; bracts very reduced. |
Inflorescences | open, leafy racemes, flowers solitary in axils; bracteoles lanceolate-linear or setaceous, 2–6 × 0.3–0.8 mm, attached on pedicel just proximal to base of ovary. |
densely clustered, terminal racemes or spikes, 1–5(–12) cm; bracteoles attached at base of ovary or on pedicel distally, narrowly lanceolate, 3.5–5(–6) × (1.2–)1.4–2 mm, surfaces usually glabrous, sometimes pilose abaxially. |
Flowers | sepals ovate-deltate, 10–20 × 7–12 mm, abruptly acuminate or acute, inconspicuously 5–7-nerved, surfaces strigillose; petals deep golden yellow, broadly obovate, 20–35 × 10–30 mm, apex shallowly emarginate, claw 1.5–3 mm; stamens 8 in 2 unequal series, filaments flattened and dilated near base, epipetalous set 3.4–4.5 mm, episepalous set 4.5–5.5 mm, anthers oblong, 4–5 mm; pollen shed in polyads; ovary subcylindric, slightly 4-angled, 8–12(–20) mm; nectary disc slightly elevated on ovary apex, 2–3 mm diam., 4-lobed, ringed by short hairs; style 3–3.5 mm, stigma clavate-capitate, 2.5–3 × 2–2.5 mm, often exserted beyond anthers. |
sepals ascending, pale green or white adaxially, broadly ovate-deltate, 2.3–3.5(–4) × 2.3–3.2(–3.8) mm, margins entire, apex acuminate, surfaces glabrous; petals 0; filaments yellow or cream, 1.2–2 mm, distinctly dilated toward base, anthers 0.7–1(–1.3) × 0.5–0.7 mm; pollen shed in tetrads; ovary broadly obovoid or cup-shaped, 2.2–3 × 2.3–3.3 mm; nectary disc elevated 0.5–0.6 mm on ovary apex, pale yellow, 1.8–3.1 mm diam., obscurely 4-lobed, glabrous; style pale yellow, 0.9–1.7 mm, glabrous, stigma pale green to white, globose to capitate, 0.4–0.8 × 0.5–0.8 mm, distinctly 4-lobed, not exserted beyond anthers. |
Capsules | clavate-cylindric, subterete to obtusely 4-angled, 20–35 × 3.5–5 mm, thin walls, irregularly dehiscent, tapering to pedicel 10–40 mm. |
broadly obpyramidal, angles rounded, sometimes subspherical, 2.5–4.3 ×2.5–4.5(–5) mm, hard-walled, dehiscent by apical ring, pedicel 0.5–1.5(–2) mm. |
Seeds | in several indistinct rows per locule, yellow-brown, oblong (appearing round), 0.5 mm, shiny, raphe 2/3 as wide as body. |
brown, elliptic-oblong, curved on both ends, 0.5–0.6 × 0.2–0.3 mm, surface cells ± isodiametric. |
2n | = 16. |
= 32. |
Ludwigia bonariensis |
Ludwigia suffruticosa |
|
Phenology | Flowering summer. | Flowering May–Sep. |
Habitat | Wet places, mainly along coastal areas, especially ditches, banks near brackish water. | Sandy ditches, marshes, wet meadows, limestone sinks, cypress swamps, moist pinelands. |
Elevation | 0–200[–2600] m. (0–700[–8500] ft.) | 0–150 m. (0–500 ft.) |
Distribution |
AL; FL; MS; NC; SC; TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Durango, Puebla, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Veracruz); South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay)
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AL; FL; GA; NC; SC
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Discussion | Ludwigia suffruticosa is distinctive by virtue of its highly condensed inflorescence and sessile leaves. It also differs from other species in sect. Isnardia in that it perennates mainly by underground rhizomes. This apetalous species has showy bracts and attracts many insects, including bumblebees, wasps, and honeybees (C. I. Peng 1989). Its center of distribution is in Florida, extending along the coastal plain barely to Alabama on the west and barely to southern North Carolina on the northeast. Recent reports of this species from Mississippi and from Mexico (Chiapas and Oaxaca) have not been confirmed. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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Source | FNA vol. 10. | FNA vol. 10. |
Parent taxa | Onagraceae > subfam. Ludwigioideae > Ludwigia > sect. Macrocarpon | Onagraceae > subfam. Ludwigioideae > Ludwigia > sect. Isnardia |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Jussiaea bonariensis, J. neglecta, J. suffruticosa var. bonariensis | Isnardia suffruticosa |
Name authority | (Micheli) H. Hara: J. Jap. Bot. 28: 291. (1953) | Walter: Fl. Carol., 90. (1788) |
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