Ludwigia maritima

Roots fibrous or fusiform, sometimes fascicled. Stems subterete to scarcely angled, with narrow raised lines or wings decurrent from leaf-axils, 30–90 cm, simple or sparsely branched distally, strigillose to sometimes glabrate. Leaves: stipules narrowly deltate, 0.05–0.2 × 0.05–0.1 mm; sessile; blade ovate proximally, lanceolate to lanceolate-linear distally, (2–) 3–8 × 0.3–1.5 cm, base cuneate, margins entire, apex acute, surfaces glabrate to strigillose or hirsute; bracts usually much reduced, sublinear. Inflorescences sparse racemes, flowers solitary in leaf-axils; bracteoles attached in subopposite pairs on distal 1/3 of pedicel, lanceolate-linear, 0.7–3.2 (–5) × 0.2–0.5 mm, margins entire, apex acute, surfaces strigillose. Flowers: sepals often spreading, ovate-deltate, (4.5–) 5.5–8 (–9) × 3–5 mm, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces strigillose; petals cordate, 9–12 × 8–10 mm, base attenuate, apex emarginate; filaments yellow, awl-shaped, 1.9–3.2 mm, anthers 1.2–2.5 × 0.4–0.7 mm; ovary subcuboid or globose, 3–4.5 × 3–4 mm; nectary disc elevated, domed, 0.9–1.3 mm diam., prominently 4-lobed, ringed with sparse, spreading hairs; style 1.5–3.3 mm, glabrous, stigma capitate to hemispherical, 0.6–1.2 × 1.4–1.9 mm, shallowly 4-lobed, not exserted beyond anthers. Capsules subcuboid to squarish globose, 4–7 ×4–5 mm, 4-angled, often also 4-winged, wings 0.3–1.2 mm wide, pedicel 5–17 mm. Seeds light-brown, oblong to reniform, 0.4–0.6 ×0.2–0.4 mm, surface cells elongate transversely to seed length, except may parallel to seed length near raphe. 2n = 16.

Phenology: Flowering summer.
Habitat: Damp, sandy, or peaty habitats, roadside ditches, margins of bogs or fields, usually within 75 miles of sea coast.
Elevation: 0–200 m.

Ala., Fla., Ga., La., Miss., N.C., S.C.

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa