Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Rosids: Malvids: Myrtales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Lythrum alatum
FAMILY
Lythraceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read more about Northern Winged Loosestrife at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Lythrum alatum var. alatum
FAMILY
Lythraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Lythrum alatum var. alatum
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Lythrum alatum var. alatum
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Lythrum alatum
COMMON NAME:
Northern Winged Loosestrife
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_l_alatum
May
The corolla has six narrow lobes that spread outward from a tubular calyx, per www.illinoiswildflowers.info.
)
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_l_alatum_b
May
1-2 flowers in the axils of small leafy bracts, crowded along the spike, per www.illinoiswildflowers.info.
)
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_lythrum_alatum
June
To 3' tall, branching occasionally; central stem strongly winged, hairless, per www.illinoiswildflowers.info.
)
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_lythrum_alatum_c
June
Each corolla lobe has a fine line of purple that leads to the flower throat, per www.illinoiswildflowers.info.
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Lythrum alatum
FAMILY
Lythraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Lythrum alatum var. alatum
FAMILY
Lythraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Lythrum alatum var. alatum
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America
Lythrum alatum var. alatum
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Lythrum alatum
3285
Subshrub; Forb
Perennial
Habitat: calcareous meadows, marl fens, and disturbed wet calcareous places, per Weakley's Flora
Native to Georgia
Rare
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate above, opposite below
Leaves sessile
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Purplish-pink
6-toothed calyx
6-lobed corolla
6 stamens
Superior ovary
Bisexual
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Field Guide to the Rare Plants of Georgia (Chafin, 2007) p211
- Field Guide to the Wildflowers of Georgia (Chafin, 2016) p254
- Wildflowers of Tennessee (Carman, 2005) p147
- Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians (Horn, Cathcart, Hemmerly, & Duhl, 2005) p183
- Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998) p106
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".