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Carolina primrose-willow

shrubby primrose-willow, shrubby primrose-willow or seedbox

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
from FNA
AL; FL; MS; NC; SC; TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Durango, Puebla, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Veracruz); South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; FL; GA; NC; SC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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.)

Source FNA vol. 10. FNA vol. 10.
Parent taxa Onagraceae > subfam. Ludwigioideae > Ludwigia > sect. Macrocarpon Onagraceae > subfam. Ludwigioideae > Ludwigia > sect. Isnardia
Sibling taxa
L. alata, L. alternifolia, L. arcuata, L. brevipes, L. curtissii, L. decurrens, L. erecta, L. glandulosa, L. grandiflora, L. hexapetala, L. hirtella, L. lanceolata, L. leptocarpa, L. linearis, L. linifolia, L. maritima, L. microcarpa, L. octovalvis, L. palustris, L. peploides, L. peruviana, L. pilosa, L. polycarpa, L. ravenii, L. repens, L. simpsonii, L. spathulata, L. sphaerocarpa, L. suffruticosa, L. virgata
L. alata, L. alternifolia, L. arcuata, L. bonariensis, L. brevipes, L. curtissii, L. decurrens, L. erecta, L. glandulosa, L. grandiflora, L. hexapetala, L. hirtella, L. lanceolata, L. leptocarpa, L. linearis, L. linifolia, L. maritima, L. microcarpa, L. octovalvis, L. palustris, L. peploides, L. peruviana, L. pilosa, L. polycarpa, L. ravenii, L. repens, L. simpsonii, L. spathulata, L. sphaerocarpa, L. virgata
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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