Ammannia latifolia
Sp. Pl. 1: 119. 1753.
Herbs annual, robust, 4–10 dm. Stems erect, sparsely branched, or branched proximally. Leaf-blades lanceolate-linear to oblong, elliptic, or spatulate, 15–70 (–100) × 4–15 (–21) mm. Inflorescences simple cymes, (1–) 3–10-flowered mid-stem; peduncle stout, 3 mm. Pedicels 0–1 mm. Floral-tube urceolate, 3–4 mm; epicalyx segments as long as or slightly longer than sepals; sepals 4 (–6), shallowly deltate, with mucronate apex; petals 0–4 (–6), pale-pink to white, 1 × 1 mm; stamens 4 (–8); anthers yellow; style stout, included, ca. 0.5 mm; stigma capitate. Capsules 3.5–5.5 mm diam., included to scarcely surpassing sepals, splitting irregularly. 2n = 48.
Phenology: Flowering late spring–late fall.
Habitat: Coastal plains in brackish to freshwater marshes, ditches.
Elevation: 0–200 m.
Distribution
Fla., Ga., La., Md., Miss., N.J., N.C., S.C., Tex., Va., Mexico (Yucatán), West Indies, Central America (Panama), South America
Discussion
Ammannia latifolia flowers spring through fall in the northern part of the range; year-round from southern Florida southward.
Petals in Ammannia latifolia are consistently present from the Gulf Coast and from Georgia northward along the Atlantic Coast, and are commonly reduced in number or absent along the southern Atlantic and Gulf coasts and southward. Presence of petals is best determined in the bud.
Selected References
None.