Lythrum junceum
Common names
rose loosestrife
Biostatus
Exotic
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Simplified description
Low growing, many branched herb with narrow leaves, either in pairs or individual up to 4 cm long, and rose coloured flowers (up to 1.5 cm across) produced directly from the stem next to the upper leaves.
Flower colours
Red/Pink
Detailed description
Glabrous annual or short-lived perennial; stems usually lax and straggling, to c. 50 cm tall, ± quadrangular, ± pink. Lvs subsessile, 8-37 × 1-9-(10) mm, linear, or linear-oblong (usually on lower part of main stems), entire but with papillate margin; base rounded, or subamplexicaul (wider main stem lvs only); apex subacute or obtuse. Fls solitary in lf axils, tristylous. Pedicels 1-1.7 mm long; bracteoles < pedicels. Calyx 5.5-7 mm long; tube narrow-obconic, tapering gradually to the narrowed base, with reddish spots about 1/2 way; lobes 0.5-1 mm long, triangular; epicalyx segments almost = lobes. Petals 6, 6-8 mm long, deep pink, crumpled; claw short; limb oblong-obovate. Stamens 12, either all ± exserted or some exserted and some included. Style 2-7 mm long, with stigma at varying levels in different plants. Mature capsule and seed not seen.
Similar taxa
Similar to loosestrife, but all parts of that plant are smaller.
Distribution
Scattered from Northland to Westland, locally common in northern parts.
Habitat
Damp ground near water bodies and wetlands.
Conservation status
Not applicable
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Lythraceae
Synonyms
Peplis portula L.
Ecology
Flowering
December, January, February
Fruiting
Autumn
Year naturalised
1870
Origin
South west Europe and North Africa
Reason for introduction
Unknown, seed or soil contaminant.
Control techniques
Not controlled in New Zealand.
Life cycle and dispersal
Seed dispersed by water, animals or contaminated machinery.
Wetland plant indicator status rating
Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland). If you have suggestions for the Wetland Indicator Status Rating, please contact: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
FAC: Facultative
Commonly occurs as either a hydrophyte or non-hydrophyte (non-wetlands).
Other information
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
LYTJUN
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Webb, C.J.; Sykes, W.R.; Garnock-Jones, P.J. (1988). Flora of New Zealand Volume 4: Naturalised pteridophytes, gymnosperms, dicotyledons. Botany Division, DSIR, Christchurch.
Popay et al (2010). An illustrated guide to common weeds of New Zealand, third edition. NZ Plant Protection Society Inc, 416pp.
Johnson PN, Brooke PA (1989). Wetland plants in New Zealand. DSIR Field Guide, DSIR Publishing, Wellington. 319pp.
Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G.; Warburg, E.F. (1962). Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, Second Edition. 1269pp.
Attribution
Factsheet prepared by Paul Champion and Deborah Hofstra (NIWA). Features description from Webb et al. (1988)
Some of this factsheet information is derived from Flora of New Zealand Online and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand licence.