|
The Fringed loosestrife (Lysimachia ciliata) belongs to Primulaceae (the Primrose family). It is a perennial herb that is distributed from southern Canada to most of the United States. It grows in moist deciduous forests, prairies, bogs, and riverbanks, and is about 120 cm tall. The green leaves are broadly lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate and arranged in pairs. The yellow star-shaped flowers appear in inflorescences in the upper leaf axils from June to August. The fruit is a capsule. The plant is notable for providing oil instead of nectar as a reward to pollinators such as "oil bees" (Macropis nuda). The photo shows the horticultural variety 'Firecraker', a copper-leaved variety.
|