Ludwigia maritima |
Ludwigia suffruticosa |
|
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seaside primrose-willow |
shrubby primrose-willow, shrubby primrose-willow or seedbox |
|
Habit | 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. | |
Roots | fibrous or fusiform, sometimes fascicled. |
|
Stems | subterete to scarcely angled, with narrow raised lines or wings decurrent from leaf axils, 30–90 cm, simple or sparsely branched distally, strigillose to sometimes glabrate. |
erect, slightly ridged, unbranched or slightly branched, (16–)30–90 cm, glabrous or strigillose to hirtellous, especially on distal parts. |
Leaves | stipules narrowly deltate, 0.05–0.2 × 0.05–0.1 mm; sessile; blade ovate proximally, lanceolate to lanceolate-linear distally, (2–)3–8 × 0.3–1.5 cm, base cuneate, margins entire, apex acute, surfaces glabrate to strigillose or hirsute; bracts usually much reduced, sublinear. |
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 | sparse racemes, flowers solitary in leaf axils; bracteoles attached in subopposite pairs on distal 1/3 of pedicel, lanceolate-linear, 0.7–3.2(–5) × 0.2–0.5 mm, margins entire, apex acute, surfaces strigillose. |
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 often spreading, ovate-deltate, (4.5–)5.5–8(–9) × 3–5 mm, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces strigillose; petals cordate, 9–12 × 8–10 mm, base attenuate, apex emarginate; filaments yellow, awl-shaped, 1.9–3.2 mm, anthers 1.2–2.5 × 0.4–0.7 mm; ovary subcuboid or globose, 3–4.5 × 3–4 mm; nectary disc elevated, domed, 0.9–1.3 mm diam., prominently 4-lobed, ringed with sparse, spreading hairs; style 1.5–3.3 mm, glabrous, stigma capitate to hemispherical, 0.6–1.2 × 1.4–1.9 mm, shallowly 4-lobed, not 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 | subcuboid to squarish globose, 4–7 ×4–5 mm, 4-angled, often also 4-winged, wings 0.3–1.2 mm wide, pedicel 5–17 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 | light brown, oblong to reniform, 0.4–0.6 ×0.2–0.4 mm, surface cells elongate transversely to seed length, except may be parallel to seed length near raphe. |
brown, elliptic-oblong, curved on both ends, 0.5–0.6 × 0.2–0.3 mm, surface cells ± isodiametric. |
2n | = 16. |
= 32. |
Ludwigia maritima |
Ludwigia suffruticosa |
|
Phenology | Flowering summer. | Flowering May–Sep. |
Habitat | Damp, sandy, or peaty habitats, roadside ditches, margins of bogs or fields, usually within 75 miles of sea coast. | Sandy ditches, marshes, wet meadows, limestone sinks, cypress swamps, moist pinelands. |
Elevation | 0–200 m. (0–700 ft.) | 0–150 m. (0–500 ft.) |
Distribution |
AL; FL; GA; LA; MS; NC; SC
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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.) |
|
Source | FNA vol. 10. | FNA vol. 10. |
Parent taxa | Onagraceae > subfam. Ludwigioideae > Ludwigia > sect. Ludwigia | Onagraceae > subfam. Ludwigioideae > Ludwigia > sect. Isnardia |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Isnardia suffruticosa | |
Name authority | R. M. Harper: Torreya 4: 163, fig. 2. (1904) | Walter: Fl. Carol., 90. (1788) |
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