Botanical Magazine 106 - 1880.pdf - hibiscus.org

TAB. 6499.
LYTHRUM GE^FFEKI.
Native of Southern Europe.
Nat. Ord. LYTHEAKIE.ï:.•Tribe LYTIIBEJE.
Genus LYTHETJM, Linn.; {Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. vol. i. p. 779.)
LYTHRTTM Grcejferi ; glabrum, caulibus gracilibus elongatis erectis v. diffusis acute
angulatis foliosis, foliis ssepius alternis inferioribus lineari- v. rarius ovato-
oblongis acutis v. obtusis basi rotundatis v.cordatis superioribus lineari-oblongis
lanceolatisve, floribus axillaribus solitariis 10-12 meris, bracteolis 2 minutis
lineari-subulatis, calycis dentibus triangularibus 6 majoribus erectis, petalis
obovatis calyce duplo longioribus, staminibus longioribus exsertis.
L. Grsefferi, Tenore Fl. Nap. Prodr. Suppl. vol. ii. p. 27 ; Icon. Ft. Nap. t. 142;
DC. Frodr. vol. ni. p. 82 ; JBoiss. Fl. Orient, vol. ii. p. 739.
L. tbyrnifolia, Allioni Fl. Fed. vol. ii. p. 168, non Linn.
L. acutangulum, Lagasc. Gen. et Sp. p. 16.
L. flexuosum, Lagasc. I. c. ; ? Regel Gartenfl. vol. xix. p. 289, t. 664.
L. Preslii, Guss. Fl. rar. p. 188.
L. junceum, Sol. mss. ex Trans. Camb. Phil. Soc. vol. iv. p. 32; Walp. Rep.
vol. ii. p. 105.
L. Gr•fferi is a South European plant, with a very ex-
tended geographical distribution, from the Azores and
Canaries to Portugal and Morocco, and thence eastward to
Asia Minor and Northern Syria. It does not occur anywhere
north of the Alps except in Western France, but has been
introduced into South America and other countries. It
affects wet places, and when grown in a pot standing in a
tank or pan of water, it forms a strikingly ornamental plant
from the profusion of its bright pink blossoms, which stud
the numerous slender branches, and which appear in suc-
cession for several weeks. The figure published as L. Gr•f-
ferii in Loddige's Botanical Cabinet is unrecognizable, and
from the small flowers and opposite leaves probably repre-
sents L. hypop¿folium, L. The figure of L. flexuosum, Lag.,
in Regel's Gartenflora, again, has most of the leaves opposite,
and the petals very narrow, not like those of L. Gr•fferi.
JCSE 1ST, 1880.