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flaxleaf seedbox, southeastern primrose-willow

lanceleaf primrose-willow

Habit Herbs slender, rarely with aerenchyma, forming slender stolons 4–15(–30) cm, 0.7–1(–1.5) mm thick. Herbs slender, with well-developed aerenchyma when base submerged, often forming stolons 10–40 cm, 2–3 mm thick, stolons with widely spaced leaves.
Stems

erect or ascending, slightly ridged, usually well branched, 12–55(–62) cm, glabrous.

erect, subterete or slightly ridged, well branched distally, 45–100 cm, glabrous, with raisedlines decurrent from leaf axils.

Leaves

alternate;

stipules narrowly ovate to narrowly lanceolate, 0.2–0.3 × 0.1–0.2 mm;

stolons: petiole narrowly attenuate, 0.05–0.5 cm, blade narrowly obovate or oblanceolate to spatulate, 0.5–2 × 0.1–0.6 cm;

stems: sessile, blade linear to linear-oblanceolate, 1.5–4 × 0.1–0.4(–0.6) cm, base very narrowly cuneate, margins entire with obscure hydathodal glands, apex acuminate to acute;

bracts linear, reduced.

alternate;

stipules ovate to very broadly ovate, 0.2–0.5 ×0.1–0.3 mm, succulent;

stolons: petiole winged, 0.2–1 cm, blade orbiculate or elliptic to broadly elliptic, 0.5–2.7 × 0.6–1.2 cm, base attenuate, apex rounded to acute;

main stem: petiole winged, 0.1–0.5 cm, blade elliptic, oblanceolate, or narrowly oblanceolate to sublinear, 2–7.5 × 0.2–0.8(–1.4) cm, base narrowly cuneate, sometimes attenuate, margins entire with minute hydathodal glands, apex acute to narrowly acute, leaves on side branches much reduced;

bracts sublinear, moderately reduced.

Inflorescences

leafy spikes, flowers solitary in leaf axils;

bracteoles attached 0–1.5 mm distal to base of ovary, very narrowly oblanceolate to linear, (1.5–)2.5–9(–13) × 0.2–0.8 mm, margins entire, apex acute.

open spikes, flowers solitary in distal leaf axils;

bracteoles attached in opposite pairs at or slightly distal to base of ovary, ovate-elliptic to very narrowly elliptic, 1.5–4.3 × 0.4–1.4 mm, often with a swollen base, margins minutely papillose, apex subacute.

Flowers

sepals ascending, green, narrowly lanceolate-deltate, (3–)4–7 × 1.1–1.7 mm, margins entire, apex narrowly acute, surfaces glabrous or minutely papillose;

petals narrowly obovate-elliptic, 4–6 × 2–4 mm, base obtuse, apex obtuse or rounded;

filaments pale yellow, (1.3–)1.5–2.5(–3) mm, anthers oblong, 0.6–1.1 × 0.5–0.8 mm;

pollen shed in tetrads;

ovary subcylindric, 3–4 × 1–1.5 mm;

nectary disc elevated 0.3–0.7 mm on ovary apex, bright yellow, 0.8–1.5 mm diam., prominently 4-lobed, minutely papillose;

style yellow, 1.25–2.5 mm, glabrous, stigma subcapitate, 0.3–0.6 × 0.6–0.8 mm, shallowly 4-lobed, not exserted beyond anthers.

sepals ascending, pale green, broadly ovate-deltate, 1.5–2.5 × 1.8–3.3 mm, margins minutely papillose, apex usually acute, rarely acuminate, surfaces glabrous;

petals 0;

filaments nearly translucent, 1–1.4 mm, base dilated, anthers 0.4–0.6(–0.8) × 0.5–0.6 mm;

pollen shed in tetrads;

ovary broadly obovoid or cup-shaped, 2.5–3.5 × 2.2–3.2 mm;

nectary disc elevated 0.4–0.6 mm on ovary apex, yellowish green, 1.8–2.6 mm diam., 4-lobed, glabrous;

style yellowish green, 0.5–0.7 mm, glabrous, stigma yellowish green, broadly capitate to subglobose, 0.3–0.5 × 0.7–1 mm, not exserted beyond anthers.

Capsules

subcylindric, terete or slightly angled, 5–10(–12) ×1.3–2(–2.2) mm, hard-walled, irregularly dehiscent, pedicel 0 mm.

obpyramidal, sharply 4-angled and 4-winged, wings 0.3–0.7mm wide, 3.5–5 × 2.5–4.5 mm, hard-walled, dehiscent by apical ring, pedicel 0.1–0.5 mm.

Seeds

reddish brown, oblong-elliptic, 0.6–0.7 × 0.2–0.3 mm, surface cells nearly isodiametric.

light brown, narrowly oblong with constricted ends, 0.6–0.8 ×0.2–0.3 mm, surface cells nearly isodiametric.

2n

= 16.

= 32.

Ludwigia linifolia

Ludwigia lanceolata

Phenology Flowering late Jun–Oct. Flowering Jun–Oct.
Habitat Drainage ditches, margins of creeks or swamps, open edges of cypress swamps, moist pinelands, edges of brackish lakes. Ditches, low meadows, cypress swamps, moist pinelands, edges of pocosins, sandy peaty soil.
Elevation 0–300 m. (0–1000 ft.) 0–100 m. (0–300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; FL; GA; MS; NC; SC; Mexico (Tabasco)
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
FL; GA; NC; SC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Ludwigia linifolia is primarily a coastal species that extends farther inland in Georgia and the Carolinas. Being one of five diploids in sect. Isnardia, it has particularly prominent nectary lobes and appears to be modally outcrossing (C. I. Peng 1989). It also is known from a disjunct population on the Yucatán Peninsula in Tabasco, Mexico.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Ludwigia lanceolata is fairly uncommon, with scattered populations occurring along the Atlantic coast of southern North Carolina, South Carolina, eastern and southern Georgia, and peninsular Florida. It reaches its western limit in the central panhandle of Florida. C. I. Peng (1988, 1989) found this tetraploid species to be interfertile with other tetraploid species in the section, but few natural hybrids are found, perhaps due to persistent autogamy and habitat specialization.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 10. FNA vol. 10.
Parent taxa Onagraceae > subfam. Ludwigioideae > Ludwigia > sect. Isnardia Onagraceae > subfam. Ludwigioideae > Ludwigia > sect. Isnardia
Sibling taxa
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. 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. 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
Synonyms Isnardia linifolia Isnardia lanceolata
Name authority Poiret in J. Lamarck et al.: Encycl., Suppl. 3: 513. (1814) Elliott: Sketch Bot. S. Carolina 1: 213. (1817)
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