Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia)Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia)
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Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia)
Table of Contents

Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) - 01
(Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) - 01)  Mary spotted this whorled loosestrife growing in our yard.  Whorled loosestrife grow to heights of 1-3 feet and are easily identified by their 1/2 inch star-shaped flowers and whorls of usually 4 leaves with non-fringed petioles (leaf stems), which led to the name "quadrifloria."  Whorled loosestrife are members of the Primrose family, Primulaceae.
Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) - 01a
(Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) - 01a)  This is a closer look at the top whorl of leaves and new buds on this whorled loosestrife plant.  Two of the leaves in the top whorl have been damaged.  We also thought the visiting insect added some interest to our observations of this wildflower.
Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) - 02
(Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) - 02)  One of the interesting things about this particular whorled loosestrife is that while the lower and top leaf whorls have four leaves, the middle whorls have five leaves.
Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) - 02a
(Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) - 02a)  This is a close up look at the juncture of the leaf whorl with the whorled loosestrife stem and the flower stems growing from the leaf axils.
Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) - 03
(Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) - 03)  This is a bee's eye look at a 1/2 inch whorled loosestrife flower with its 5 petals, 5 stamens, and 1 pistil.  Whorled loosestrife bloom from June to August.
Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) - 04
(Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) - 04)  In this photo, we are looking up at a whorl of whorled loosestrife leaves and the flowers hanging down below.
Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) - 04a
(Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) - 04a)  In this photo, we have a closer look at the hairy stems and leaf edges, and the ribbing in the stem.
Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) - 05
(Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) - 05)  This is a semi-top view of a whorled loosestrife.  There is an interesting legend about the scientific and common naming of this wildflower:  In ancient times, Lysimachus, the king of Sicily, was being chased by an angry bull, and not being able to outrun him, the king grabbed a whorled loosestrife and waved it at the oncoming bull, which had a calming effect upon the bull (it loosed the bull from his strife).  The translation of the name, Lysimachus, in Greek, is also "loose strife."
Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) - 06
(Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia) - 06)  In this semi-side view of a whorled loosestrife flower, we can see the stamens and pistil projecting outward in a cluster from the base of the flower.

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