Lythrum hyssopifolia

Small Loosestrife at Gundaroo, NSW

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Identification history

Lythrum hyssopifolia	2 Oct 2017	MichaelMulvaney
Lythrum hyssopifolia	2 Oct 2017	MaartjeSevenster
Portulaca oleracea	29 Sep 2017	MichaelMulvaney
Unidentified	29 Sep 2017	MaartjeSevenster

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8 comments

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

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.

MaartjeSevenster wrote:

30 Sep 2017

Oh well...beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

MichaelBedingfield wrote:

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.

BettyDonWood wrote:

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.

MichaelBedingfield wrote:

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

BettyDonWood wrote:

30 Sep 2017

Maartje, were the stems fleshy or non-fleshy?

MaartjeSevenster wrote:

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?

MaartjeSevenster wrote:

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?

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