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• All other herbaceous, flowering dicots
• Ludwigia alternifolia

Ludwigia alternifolia — square-pod water-primrose

Facts

Square-pod water-primrose is native to eastern North America, extending into southern New England, where it inhabits river and lake shores, marshes and wet fields. This plant is sometimes known as "seedbox" due to the distinctive square fruit in which the seeds audibly rattle around when dry.

Habitat

Floodplain (river or stream floodplains), marshes, meadows and fields, shores of rivers or lakes, wetland margins (edges of wetlands)

Characteristics

• Clonal plantlets

  Bulbils

  the plant does not appear to have bulbils

  Bulblets replace flowers

  there are no bulblets where the flowers are located

• Flowers

  Anther attachment

  the anther is attached near its midpoint to the filament

  Anther color

  the anthers show no hint of a pink, reddish or purplish tint

  Anther opening

  the anthers have narrow slits or furrows that run lengthwise along the anthers

  Anther spurs

  the anthers do not have spurs on them

  Anther tube length

  0 mm

  Calyx growth after flowering

  the calyx does not grow to cover or partially cover the fruit

  Calyx symmetry

  there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)

  Carpels fused

  the carpels are fused to one another

  Cilia on petals

  the petal margins do not have cilia

  Cleistogamous flowers

  there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan

  Corolla morphology

  NA

  Corolla palate

  no

  Corona lobe length

  0 mm

  Epicalyx

  the flower does not have an epicalyx

  Epicalyx number of parts

  0

  Filament surface

  the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales

  Flower description

  the flower has an inferior ovary, with or without a hypanthium

  Flower orientation

  the flower points upwards or is angled outwards

  Flower petal color

  yellow

  Flower reproductive parts

  the flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts

  Flower symmetry

  there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)

  Flowers sunken into stem

  no

  Form of style

  the style is knob-like at the tip, and unbranched

  Fringed petal edges

  the petals are not fringed

  Fused stamen clusters

  NA

  Fusion of sepals and petals

  • both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
  • the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube

  Hairs on flower stalk

  the flower stalk has hairs on it

  Horns in hoods (Asclepias)

  NA

  Hypanthium

  the flower has a hypanthium

  Inflorescence one-sided

  the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks

  Inner tepals (Rumex)

  NA

  Length of flower stalk

  2–5 mm

  Marks on petals

  there are no noticeable marks on the petals

  Nectar spur

  the flower has no nectar spurs

  Number of branches in umbel

  0

  Number of carpels

  4

  Number of pistils

  1

  Number of sepals, petals or tepals

  there are four petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower

  Number of styles

  1

  Ovary position

  the ovary is below the point of petal and/or sepal attachment

  Perianth shape

  • the perianth is campanulate (bell-shaped, with a tube about as long as wide, flaring at the mouth)
  • the perianth is rotate (platter-shaped, the corolla flattened, circular, with nearly horizontally spreading lobes)

  Petal and sepal arrangement

  the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures

  Petal and sepal colors

  yellow

  Petal appearance

  the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)

  Petal folds or pleats

  the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits

  Petal glandular dots or scales

  no

  Petal hairs (Viola)

  NA

  Petal hairs on inner/upper surface

  there are no hairs on the inner/upper petal surface

  Petal length

  5–7 mm

  Petal length relative to sepals

  the petals are about equal in length to the sepals

  Petal nectaries

  the petals have at least one nectary

  Petal number

  4

  Petal shape

  the petal outline is obovate (roughly egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)

  Petal tip shape

  the petal tip is rounded

  Petal tips (Cuscuta)

  NA

  Raceme attachment (Veronica)

  NA

  Reproductive system

  all the flowers have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)

  Scales inside corolla

  NA

  Sepal and petal color

  the sepals are different from the petals

  Sepal appearance

  the sepals are green or brown, and leaf-like in texture

  Sepal appendages (Oenothera)

  NA

  Sepal auricles

  the sepals have no auricles

  Sepal cilia

  the sepals have cilia on their edges

  Sepal color

  green to brown

  Sepal length

  6–9 mm

  Sepal number

  4

  Sepal orientation

  the sepals are slightly curved outwards from the corolla

  Sepal relative length

  the sepal lobes are longer than the fused portion

  Sepal shape

  • the sepal outline is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
  • the sepal outline is roughly triangular

  Sepal texture

  the sepals are either very thin but flexible, like a membrane, or they are leaf-like in texture

  Sepal tip shape

  • the sepal tip is acuminate (tapers to a very narrow point)
  • the sepal tip is acute (is sharply pointed)

  Sepal uniformity

  all the sepals are about the same size

  Sepals fused only to sepals

  • the sepals are fused to each other (not other flower parts), at least near their bases
  • the sepals are separate from one another

  Spur length

  0 mm

  Spur number

  NA

  Stamen appendages

  stamen appendages are absent

  Stamen attachment

  the stamens are attached at or near the bases of the petals or tepals

  Stamen lengths differ

  the stamens are all approximately the same length

  Stamen morphology

  the stamens within each cycle are the same

  Stamen number

  4

  Stamen position relative to petals

  the stamens are lined up with the sepals

  Stamen relative length

  anything

  Stamens fused

  the stamens are not attached to one another

  Staminodes

  there are no staminodes on the flower

  Stigma position

  the stigmas are positioned at the tip of the style

  Style petal-like

  the styles are not petal-like

  Style relative length

  the stigma does not protrude beyond the mouth of the corolla

  Umbel flower reproductive parts

  NA

  Upper lip of bilabiate corolla

  NA

• Fruits or seeds

  Achene relative orientation

  NA

  Achene shape

  NA

  Achene surface (Polygonum)

  NA

  Achene type

  NA

  Berry color

  NA

  Capsule color (Viola)

  NA

  Capsule ribs

  the capsule has four prominent ribs or wings

  Capsule splitting

  the capsule splits by four main valves, teeth or pores

  Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence

  NA

  Fruit beak length

  anything

  Fruit cross-section

  the fruit is roughly quadrangular in cross-secgtion

  Fruit features (Brassicaceae)

  NA

  Fruit length

  5–6 mm

  Fruit length relative to sepals

  the fruit is shorter than its associated sepals

  Fruit length to width ratio

  1–1.3

  Fruit locules

  four

  Fruit shape

  the fruit is another shape than those described

  Fruit stalk orientation

  the fruits curve or droop downwards

  Fruit type (general)

  the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe

  Fruit type (specific)

  the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)

  Fruit width

  4–6 mm

  Hair type on fruit

  the hairs on the fruits are simple (not branched), don’t have glands, and are not woolly

  Hairs on fruit

  • the fruits are not hairy
  • the fruits have hairs on them

  Legumes (Fabaceae)

  NA

  Mericarp length

  0 mm

  Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)

  NA

  Other markings on berry

  NA

  Ovary stipe

  the ovary or fruit does not have a stipe

  Ovary stipe length

  0 mm

  Placenta arrangement

  the plant has axile placentation, in which the ovules are attached where the septa of a compound ovary are united, usually on the central axis, or to the septa themselves

  Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)

  NA

  Schizocarpic fruit compression

  NA

  Schizocarpic fruit segments

  0

  Seed length

  0.5–1 mm

  Seed relative length

  the seed is longer than it is wide

  Seed surface

  the seed is smooth or without clear markings

  Seeds comose

  no hairs

  Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)

  NA

  Wings on fruit

  the fruit has one or more wings on it

  prickles on fruits

  the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures

• Glands or sap

  Glands on leaf blade

  the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales

  Sap

  the sap is clear and watery

  Sap color

  the sap is clear

• Growth form

  Growth form

  the plant is an herb (it has self-supporting stems)

  Lifespan

  the plant lives more than two years

  Parasitism

  the plant is not parasitic

  Plant color

  the leaves or young stems of the plant are green

  Plants darken when dry

  no

  Spines on plant

  the plant has no spines

  Underground organs

  there is a thickened taproot on the plant

• Leaves

  Bracteole length

  Up to 3 mm

  Bracteole number (Apiaceae)

  0

  Bracteole shape

  the bracteoles are lanceolate (widest below the middle, and tapering at both ends)

  Bracteoles

  the plant has bracteoles between the primary bracts and the flowers

  Bracts in plantain (Plantago)

  NA

  Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)

  0 mm

  Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)

  0

  Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)

  0 mm

  Floral bracts

  the flower has one or more bracts associated with it

  Hairs on leaf stalk

  • NA
  • the petiole has hairs on it

  Hairs on underside of leaf

  the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy

  Hairs on upper side of leaf

  the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy

  Hooked hairs on underside of leaf

  no

  Inflated hairs on leaf

  the leaf blade does not have inflated hairs on it

  Leaf arrangement

  alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem

  Leaf blade base

  • the leaf has a distinct leaf stalk (petiole)
  • the leaf has no stalk

  Leaf blade base shape

  the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow

  Leaf blade base symmetry

  the leaf blade base is symmetrical

  Leaf blade bloom

  the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom

  Leaf blade edges

  the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)

  Leaf blade flatness

  the leaf is flat (planar) at the edges

  Leaf blade hairs

  the leaf blade has simple hairs with no glands, and not tangled or wooly

  Leaf blade length

  40–105 mm

  Leaf blade primary vein pattern

  the secondary veins branch off at intervals from the primary vein

  Leaf blade shape

  • the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
  • the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)

  Leaf blade surface colors

  the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color

  Leaf blade texture

  the leaf blade is herbaceous (has a leafy texture)

  Leaf blade vein pattern

  the major veins of the leaf blade branch, but do not rejoin

  Leaf blade veins

  the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip (it may or may not have secondary veins)

  Leaf blade width

  Up to 20 mm

  Leaf duration

  the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)

  Leaf form

  the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture

  Leaf hair orientation

  the hairs are flat against the leaf surface, mostly pointing towards the leaf tip

  Leaf sheath length

  0 mm

  Leaf shiny

  the upper side of the leaf is dull or slightly shiny

  Leaf spines

  there are no spines on the leaf edges

  Leaf stalk

  • the leaves have leaf stalks
  • the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem

  Leaf stalk attachment to leaf

  • NA
  • the petiole attaches at the basal margin of the leaf blade

  Leaf stalk base

  the petiole base is narrow where it attaches to the stem

  Leaf stalk length

  0–2 mm

  Leaf teeth and lobes

  the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)

  Leaf tip

  • the tip of the leaf blade is acuminate (tapers to a long, thin point)
  • the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)

  Leaf type

  the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)

  Leaf types

  There is a gradual change in appearance of the leaves from the base (or near the base) of the plant to those from further up on the stem, with leaves progressively changing as one moves higher on the stem (often becoming shorter, or less toothed/lobed, and/or with shorter petioles).

  Leaf variation

  the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem

  Leaflet number

  0

  Leaflet petiolules

  NA

  Leaves per node

  there is one leaf per node along the stem

  Pinnately compound leaf type

  NA

  Specific leaf type

  the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)

  Stipels

  NA

  Stipule edges

  NA

  Stipule features

  NA

  Stipule fused to leaf stalk

  NA

  Stipule length

  0 mm

  Stipule shape

  NA

  Stipules

  there are no stipules on the plant

  Teeth per side of leaf blade

  0

• Place

  Habitat

  • terrestrial
  • wetlands

  New England state

  • Connecticut
  • Massachusetts
  • Rhode Island

  Specific habitat

  • edges of wetlands
  • marshes
  • meadows or fields
  • river or stream floodplains
  • shores of rivers or lakes

• Scent

  Plant odor

  the plant does not have much of a smell

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Branched tendrils

  NA

  Direction of stem hairs

  NA

  Flowering stem cross-section

  the flowering stem is roughly square

  Hair between stem nodes

  the stem has no hairs between the nodes

  Hairs between stem nodes

  the stem has no hairs between the nodes

  Hooked hairs on stem between nodes

  no

  Leaves on stem

  there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem

  Length of hairs between stem nodes

  0 mm

  Plant height

  40–120 cm

  Stem bloom

  there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem

  Stem hair distribution

  NA

  Stem nodes swollen

  the stem is not swollen at the nodes

  Stem orientation

  the stems are upright or angled outwards

  Stem roughness between nodes

  the stem does not feel rough

  Stem spacing

  the plant is solitary, or a few plants are growing together

  Tendril origin

  NA

  Tendrils

  the plant does not have tendrils

  Wings on stem

  the stem has wings on it that run down the stem from the leaf nodes

Wetland status

Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae