Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Lysimachia punctata

Family

Primulaceae

Flowering season

June to August

English distribution

It is found throughout the country but is less common

in parts of the Northeast, the East Midlands and

East Anglia.

See the BSBI distribution map for Dotted Loosestrife

Habitat

It is a neophyte which has been grown in the UK since the

1650s and has been known in the wild since the 1850s.

It is often a garden throw-out and naturalised plants

appear to be increasing.

It grows on waste ground, rough grassland and banks,

and by tracks, roads and woodland.

Description

Dotted Loosestrife is an evergreen, perennial, erect,

patch-forming herb growing up to 1.2m.

Flowers are on long spikes.

Each flower is up to 1.5cm and has 5 yellow corolla lobes.

The lobes are covered with pale glandular spots and there

are stalked glands on the margins.

The bases of the lobes are often tinged a reddish orange.

There are 5 stamens with large yellow anthers and broad,

yellow green filaments.

There is a single, long style.

It rarely sets seed.

The sepals are hairy and entirely green (cf Yellow

Loosestrife).

The leaves are up to 12cm, lanceolate to ovate,

and in whorls of 3-4 or opposite. They are hairy

and the undersides are dotted with black glands.

It spreads by short, thick rhizomes and is found

more often and  in drier habitats than Yellow

Loosestrife.