|
Lythraceae
Loosestrife Family
By: Ginny
Cataldo and George Rogers
A mostly
tropical family of about 23 genera and 450 species, consisting of herbs, shrubs,
and small trees (LON). Leaves usually opposite or whorled (sometimes alternate),
simple, entire. Flowers radially symmetrical, the calyx forming a tube; petals 4
or 6, showy, often wrinkled, often purplish (or red or pink or white, sometimes
with a little yellow); stamens inserted on the calyx. Fruit a capsule opening
transversely (LON).
Key to
Important Lythraceae in South Florida Landscaping
1. Flowers
predominantly scarlet (sometimes with purple or yellow)…2
1. Flowers
purple, pink, or white…3
2. Flowers
forming a narrow tube shaped like a small cigarette…Cigar Plant (Cuphea ignea)
(Note: In Cuphea ignea the outer end of the tube is reddish or purplish;
in the similar C. mevilla the end of the tube is yellow.)
2. Flowers
with a narrow basal tube, this at the end with two petals rising like ears above
a purple center…Bat Flower (Cuphea llavea ‘Bat Face’)
3. Shrubs
under 2’ tall, the leaves < 1” long…Mexican Heather (Cuphea hyssopifolia)
3. Shrubs
or small trees much larger than 2’ tall, with leaves much longer than an inch…4
4. Leaves >
5” long, lobed at the base, with prominent veins; flowers 3” diam., purple or
pink, the inflorescence terminal, > 1’ long…Queen Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia
speciosa)
4. Leaves
to about 3” long, narrowed at the base; flowers < 3” diam., purple, pink,
reddish (not scarlet), the inflorescence < 1’ long…Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia
indica and hybrids)
See also:
Garden guru article on Crepe Myrtles
by Dr. George Rogers
|
