Lythrum hyssopifolia

Common name: Lesser Loosestrife

Meaning of name:

Lythrum is from the Greek word lythron, meaning black blood. This is generally thought to refer to the purple colour of the flowers of some species. Hyssopifolia is from the Latin words hyssopus, meaning an aromatic herb, and folium, meaning leaf.

Distribution:

Occurs across much of southern Australia.

Description:

A sprawling plant to 20 centimetres tall. The pink flowers are produced from October to December.

Notes:

This species is toxic to stock.

It is originally from southern Europe and possibly to eastern Australia where fossils of this plant from 20,000 years ago are known.

References:

Western Weeds, A Guide to the Weeds of Western Australia. BMJ Hussey, GJ Keighery, J Dodd, SG Lloyd, RD Cousens. 1997.

Western Australian Plant Names and their Meanings, a Glossary. FA Sharr. 1996.

Flora of the Perth Region. NG Marchant, JR Wheeler, BL Rye, EM Bennett, NS Lander, TD Macfarlane. 1987.

Atlas of Living Australia https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://id.biodiversity.org.au/taxon/apni/51300296

Florabase https://florabase.dbca.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/5281