Description :

• Annual or perennial herbs
• Leaves alternate, opposite or whorled
• Inflorescence usually of solitary and subsessile cymes, these sometimes paired or small and whorl-like, sometimes aggregated into terminal spikes
• Flowers (4-)6-merous, often trimorphically heterostylous, each flower with 2 bracteoles
• Calyx subcylindrical; calyx appendages usually conspicuous, alternating with lobes
• Petals usually present, arising near top of calyx tube
• Stamens 2-12
• Ovary sessile or subsessile, oblong, incompletely 2-locular; style included; stigma capitate
• Capsule usually septicidally dehiscent with 2 valves, rarely dehiscing irregularly or by 4 apical teeth
• Seeds few to many
• x = 5 (high polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

• *Lythrum L.
  • Linnaeus: 446 (1753)
  • Sonder: 516 (1862)
  • Webb: 301 (1968)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global : Cosmopolitan with 35 species
• Southern Africa : Species 1: * Lythrum hyssopifolium L., adventive, mostly in the Cape region