Lythrum hyssopifolia
Small Loosestrife at Gundaroo, NSW
Identify this sighting
| Lythrum hyssopifolia | MichaelMulvaney | 2 Oct 2017 | |
| Lythrum hyssopifolia | MaartjeSevenster | 2 Oct 2017 | |
| Portulaca oleracea | MichaelMulvaney | 29 Sep 2017 | |
| Unverified | MaartjeSevenster | 29 Sep 2017 |
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8 comments
30 Sep 2017
Sorry if My Id is correct as this is a weed, but it can be eaten sparingly as a green in salad or steamed it is supposively rich in Iron and Omega 3, but I've never tasted it.
30 Sep 2017
Michael M, I have doubts about this being Portulaca oleracea, which grows in my garden and is an annual and doesn't reach the stage seen above until summer. I think this is Lythrum hyssopifolia, especially since it is growing near a dam an is partly erect.
30 Sep 2017
Lythrum hyssopifola has narrow to very narrow leaves. When it has has red stems it is obviously stressed and the leaves are red also. The stems of the plant in this photo look fleshy, true for Portulaca, untrue for Lythrum.
30 Sep 2017
I'm sorry to contradict you Betty, but it is virtually impossible for it to be Portulaca oleracea in October. Also Look at the following sightings, which have fleshy looking leaves of similar shape:
http://canberra.naturemapr.org/Community/Sightings/Details/34758
http://canberra.naturemapr.org/Community/Sightings/Details/31544
http://canberra.naturemapr.org/Community/Sightings/Details/34758
http://canberra.naturemapr.org/Community/Sightings/Details/31544
30 Sep 2017
I am sorry, don't trust my memory in that respect...Lythrum h. did cross my mind but the leaves seemed extremely round for that. I will see if I can find it again this season, but it might well be too dry. Is it possible that the extreme rain last year might have had this grow much earlier than usual?
30 Sep 2017
This is not very scientific, but googling Lythrum hyssopifolia does yield a number of images that are identical to mine (e.g. http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?enlarge=0000+0000+0411+1060) and they seem to be taken in very wet spots. Maybe the thing is that the Lythrum h. was looking unusual due to the heavy rains?
Location information
- Coordinates 149.332802-35.023553
- Maps MTR591 at Gundaroo
- Places Gundaroo, NSW
Sighting information
- 16 - 100 Abundance
- 13 Oct 2016 03:05 PM Recorded on
- MaartjeSevenster Recorded by
- 10cm to 30cm Plant height
Collections
- MaartjeSevenster Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr Lythrum hyssopifolia Other Fresh Water Plants Plants
Species information
- Lythrum hyssopifolia Scientific name
- Small Loosestrife Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 892.52m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information
Record quality
Quality score
3 / 7
- Images or audio
- Verified by an expert moderator
- Additional attributes
- More than one media file
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- GPS evidence of location
- Description