Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Lysimachia vulgaris

Family

Primulaceae

Flowering season

July to September

English distribution

It is found throughout the country.

For a map see the National Biodiversity Network Gateway –

Yellow Loosestrife

Habitat

It grows by fresh water and in marshes, fens, ditches and damp

woodland.

Description

Yellow Loosestrife is a native, semi-evergreen, hairy,

rhizomatous, spreading herb, growing up to 1.5m.

Flowers are in long spikes.

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

lobes, which are are fused to about a third of the way up

(subcampanulate). They have pale glandular spots but are

not fringed with stalked glands (cf Dotted Loosestrife)..

The sepal teeth are hairy and bordered with orange-red.

There are 5 stamens with large yellow anthers and red filaments.

There is a single, long, yellow-green style.

The fruits are globose.

The leaves are up to 12cm, lanceolate to ovate, and in whorls

of 3-4 or opposite. They are hairy and dotted with glands.

It spreads by long thin rhizomes to form large colonies in

permanently wet habitats.