Lysimachia
(Lusimachion, the old Greek name, from lysis, dissolving, concluding, and mache, strife; in reference to the supposed soothing qualities of the plant). Loosestrife. Including Lubinia. ORD. Primulaceae. A genus comprising about sixty species of greenhouse or hardy, erect or creeping, glabrous or pubescent, slender or robust herbs, often gland-dotted, mostly natives of the temperate and sub-tropical regions of the Northern hemisphere, while a few are found in tropical and Southern Africa, Australia, the Pacific Islands, and South America. Flowers white, yellow, or rosy, rarely purple or blue, very rarely four-parted, axillary or terminal, solitary, racemose, or in simple corymbose umbels or paniculate racemes; corolla hypogynous, funnel-shaped or rotate, five-parted; tube short or very short; lobes five or six, erecto-patent or spreading, entire or toothed; calyx five or six-parted. Leaves opposite, alternate or whorled, sessile or petiolate, entire. The species are all of easy culture, most of them thriving best in a moist situation, such as the margins of streams and ponds. Propagated very freely by divisions, in late autumn or early spring. Except where otherwise stated, the species described below are hardy, and all of them are perennials. L. angustifolia (narrow-leaved). A form of L. lanceolata. L. atropurpurea (dark purple).* fl. very dark purple, disposed in elegantly-drooping racemes. Summer. l. fleshy, smooth, obovate. h. 2ft. South Europe, 1820. Plant erect. SYN. Lubinia atropurpurea. L. azorica (Azorean). fl. yellow; peduncles axillary, solitary, one-flowered; segments of calyx subulate. June. l. ovate-lanceolate. h. 4in. Azores, 1835. Half-hardy. (B. M. 3273.) L. barystachys (strong-spiked).* fl. white, small, disposed in dense, erect, terminal, crowded racemes. l. lanceolate. China. Plant erect. (R. H., March, 1881.) L. capitata (headed). A synonym of L. thyrsiflora.
L. ciliata (ciliated).* fl. light yellow; corolla longer than the calyx. July. l. lanceolate-ovate, 3in. to 6in. long, tapering to an acute point, rounded or heart-shaped at base, all on long and fringed petioles. Stem erect, 2ft. to 3ft. high. North America, 1732. (Sy. En. B. 1143.) L. clethroides (Clethra-like).* fl. white, about 1/2in. across, somewhat star-shaped, disposed in one-sided spikes, nearly 1ft. in length. July to September. l., radical ones spathulate, cauline ones broadly lanceolate, 3in. to 5in. long, entire. h. 3ft. Japan, 1869. Plant erect. L. ephemerum (transient). fl. white, with a dark eye, rather small, in terminal, erect racemes. Summer. l. linear-lanceolate, glaucous. h. 2ft. to 3ft. South-western Europe, 1730. Plant erect. (B. M. 2346.) L. hybrida (hybrid). A form of L. lanceolata.
L. lanceolata (lance-shape-leaved). fl. yellow, solitary, axillary, on slender, drooping peduncles; petals slightly notched. Early summer. l. glabrous, linear or oblong-lanceolate. h. 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. North America. L. angustifolia, with a more branching habit and narrow leaves, and L. hybrida, with broader foliage, are forms. This species and its varieties are of erect habit.
L. Leschenaultii (Leschenault's). fl. brilliant carmine. Autumn. l. lanceolate, acute, sometimes opposite or ternate, at others alternate. Stem branching, tufted. h. 1ft. India. A half-hardy erect-growing species, but it does well in the rock-garden, in a sandy soil. (F. d. S. 982.) L. Nummularia (Moneywort).* Creeping Jenny; Moneywort. fl. bright yellow, large, about 1in. across, very showy, solitary, axillary, with broad sepals, ciliate petals, and glandular connate filaments. Summer and autumn. l. opposite, roundish, obtuse, glabrous. Europe (Britain). A common and handsome creeping plant, excellent for hanging baskets. (Sy. En. B. 1144.) L. nutans (nodding). fl. dark purple, in terminal racemes; lobes of corolla spathulate, erosely denticulated. July and August. l. opposite or twin, lanceolate, a little serrated, glabrous. h. 2ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1823. Plant erect, half-hardy. (B. M. 4941.) L. punctata (spotted).* fl. yellow; petals ovate, acute, glandular. July and August. l. whorled, oblong-lanceolate, stalked. h. 1ft. Europe and West Asia, 1820. Plant erect. (B. M. 2295, under name of L. verticillata.) L. thyrsiflora (thyrse-flowered). fl. yellow, rather small, disposed in dense axillary racemes. Summer. l. lanceolate, acute, entire, 3in. long, 3/4in. broad at the base. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Europe, &c. (Britain). Plant erect. This species thrives best treated as a sub-aquatic. SYNS. L. capitata, Naumburgia thyrsiflora. (B. M. 2012; Sy. En. B. 1140.) L. verticillata (whorled). A synonym of L. punctata. L. vulgaris (common).* Common, or Yellow Loosestrife. fl. yellow, in short, terminal, panicled cymes. Summer. l. opposite or whorled, ovate or lanceolate, acute, furnished with black glandular dots. Stems erect, branching. h. 2ft. to 3ft. Europe &c. (Britain). (Sy. En. B. 1141.)