Species

Lythrum junceum

Common Name(s)

rose loosestrife

Authority

Lythrum junceum Banks & Sol.

Family

Lythraceae

Brief Description

Low growing, many branched herb with narrow leaves, either in pairs or individual up to 4 cm long, and rose coloured flowers (up to 1.5 cm across) produced directly from the stem next to the upper leaves.

Flora Category

Vascular - Exotic

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Synonyms

Peplis portula L.

Distribution

Scattered from Northland to Westland, locally common in northern parts.

Habitat

Damp ground near water bodies and wetlands.

Features

Glabrous annual or short-lived perennial; stems usually lax and straggling, to c. 50 cm tall, ± quadrangular, ± pink. Lvs subsessile, 8-37 × 1-9-(10) mm, linear, or linear-oblong (usually on lower part of main stems), entire but with papillate margin; base rounded, or subamplexicaul (wider main stem lvs only); apex subacute or obtuse. Fls solitary in lf axils, tristylous. Pedicels 1-1.7 mm long; bracteoles < pedicels. Calyx 5.5-7 mm long; tube narrow-obconic, tapering gradually to the narrowed base, with reddish spots about 1/2 way; lobes 0.5-1 mm long, triangular; epicalyx segments almost = lobes. Petals 6, 6-8 mm long, deep pink, crumpled; claw short; limb oblong-obovate. Stamens 12, either all ± exserted or some exserted and some included. Style 2-7 mm long, with stigma at varying levels in different plants. Mature capsule and seed not seen.

Similar Taxa

Similar to loosestrife, but all parts of that plant are smaller.

Flowering

December, January, February

Flower Colours

Red / Pink

Fruiting

Autumn

Year Naturalised

1870

Origin

South west Europe and North Africa

Reason for Introduction

Unknown, seed or soil contaminant.

Control Techniques

Not controlled in New Zealand.

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Seed dispersed by water, animals or contaminated machinery.

Attribution

Factsheet prepared by Paul Champion and Deborah Hofstra (NIWA). Features description from Webb et al. (1988)

References and further reading

Webb, C.J.; Sykes, W.R.; Garnock-Jones, P.J. (1988). Flora of New Zealand Volume 4: Naturalised pteridophytes, gymnosperms, dicotyledons. Botany Division, DSIR, Christchurch.

Popay et al (2010).  An illustrated guide to common weeds of New Zealand, third edition.  NZ Plant Protection Society Inc, 416pp.

Johnson PN, Brooke PA (1989).  Wetland plants in New Zealand.   DSIR Field Guide, DSIR Publishing, Wellington. 319pp.

Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G.; Warburg, E.F.  (1962). Flora of the British Isles.  Cambridge University Press, Second Edition.  1269pp.

This page last updated on 30 Jul 2014