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L. salicaria is a perennial herb 30-200 cm tall with a persistent woody rootstock. In North America and exceptionally in the southern limits of its native range, taller plants (up to 350 cm) can be found. Stems are erect and quadrangular in section with evenly spaced nodes in opposite pairs or in whorls of three. Leaves are 3-10 cm long, sessile, lanceolate to ovate and arising from each node (Thompson et al., 1987;Mal et al., 1992). The stem can be without lateral branches but plants usually form branches in the mid to lower part of the stem (Hegi, 1925). The length and number of lateral branches is variable, depending upon environmental conditions, probably soil nutrient status. Leaves are glabrous to pubescent on the stem and branches, or sub-tomentose on the inflorescence. Inflorescences are purple, in a dense terminal spike up to 1m long. In the first year or under poor nutrient conditions, plants usually have one shoot only, which dies at the end of growing season. In older plants, herbaceous stalks with lateral branches, each with terminal spike of flowers, arise from the rootstock to make a wide-topped crown (Thompson et al., 1987). Fruits are oblong-ovoid capsules (3-4 mm long) with two valves. Seeds are very small (200-400 µm in size, 0.5-0.6 mg in mass), thin-walled with two cotyledons and no endosperm (Thompson et al., 1987). The species is heterostylous with three distinct arrangements of pistils and stamens. The flowers are categorized according to stylar morphs as short-, medium- and long-styled (Mal et al., 1992).

Related invasive species

  • Lythrum salicaria

Related Farm Practice

  • Soil
Impact

L. salicaria, an Old World native, is a highly invasive species of wetlands in North America, beginning to spread rapidly about 140 years after its accidental introduction around 1800. It is a very variable species with an ability to occupy numerous habitats and substrates with the exception of dry places. Its spread and persistence in ecosystems is supported by very high seed production, a vigorous and persistent root system and rapid growth. It is an invasive species and/or noxious weed in almost all states and provinces of Canada and the USA where it is a serious threat to many sensitive wetland ecosystems.

Has Cabi datasheet ID
31890
Hosts

As an exotic invasive species, L. salicaria is not generally a weed of agricultural land as it prefers moist to wet habitats, but it may occur at disturbed edges of crop fields in the vicinity of wetlands. The establishment of L. salicaria adjacent to stands of wild rice (Zizania aquatica) in northern California and Wisconsin, USA, means that it may be or become a pest of this crop (Thompson et al., 1987).

Oss tagged
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