Ludwigia virgata

Ludwigia virgata
Photo was taken by Gil Nelson
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
Class:	Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Onagraceae
Genus:	Ludwigia
Species:	L. virgata
Binomial name
Ludwigia virgata Michx.
Natural range of Ludwigia virgata from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common name: savannah primrose-willow

Description

“Repent or erect, usually branched, short-lived perennials, or rarely annual. Floral parts in 4-7’s; hypanthium not prolonged beyond ovary. Capsules longitudinally or poricidally multiseriate, rarely uniseriate. Most of the erect species produce basal offshoots, which have ovate to obovate leaves, in the late summer and fall. Bracteoles occur in pairs on the pedicel or stipe or on the base of the hypanthium.” – Radford et al 1964

"Stems erect, usually branched, usually glabrous below, to 1 m tall. Leaves alternate, lanceolate or elliptic, usually glabrous, to 7.5 cm long and 1 cm wide; sessile. Sepals 4, reflexed, ovate, 5-10 mm long, 2.5-4.5 mm wide; petals 4, 10-16 mm long, 7-11 mm wide; styles 7-9 mm long, stylopodium prominent. Capsules cubical, 4-angled, usually narrowly winged, appressed pubescent to glabrous, 5-7 mm long, 3.5-5 mm broad; bracteoles linear, 2-4 mm long; pedicels to 15 mm long." - Radford et al 1964

Ecology

Habitat

This species can be found in moist areas along cypress swamps, pine flatwoods, hillside bogs, wet depressions in savannas, and around ephemeral ponds (FSU Herbarium). They thrive in moist sandy loam and can occur in open lit areas (FSU Herbarium). This species has also been observed in human disturbed habitats such as along roadsides (FSU Herbarium). Associated species include Cypress, Pinus, Rhexia, and Pteridium (FSU Herbarium).

Phenology

It has been observed flowering from May through July and fruiting from June through August (FSU Herbarium).

References and notes

Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: June 2014. Collectors: Loran C. Anderson, M. Davis, Robert K. Godfrey, Richard D. Houk, Ed & Lisa Keppner, S. W. Leonard, R. A. Norris, Annie Schmidt, Roomie Wilson, and Jean W. Wooten. States and Counties: Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Jackson, Leon, Liberty, Polk, Santa Rosa, Wakulla, and Walton. Georgia: Lowndes and Thomas.

Radford, Albert E., Harry E. Ahles, and C. Ritchie Bell. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. 1964, 1968. The University of North Carolina Press. 744-7. Print.