Common name: Peruvian Primrose
Ludwigia peruviana (L.) H.Hara APNI*
Description: Hirsute shrub usually 0.5–3 m high, sometimes with inflated pneumatophores arising from submerged or buried roots.
Leaves alternate, ovate to lanceolate or elliptic, 4–12 cm long, 3–15 mm wide, base narrowed, ± sessile.
Flowers solitary in upper leaf axils; bracteoles ± lanceolate, on ovary base or upper pedicel. Sepals 4 or 5, lanceolate, irregularly toothed. Petals 10–25 mm long, yellow. Stamens 8 or 10.
Fruit ± obovoid, 10–20 mm long, 6–10 mm diam., 4-angled, readily dehiscent; seeds in each loculus in several rows, free.
Flowering: spring to autumn.
Distribution and occurrence: Naturalized on swampy lake margins, in and around Sydney and spreading from there. Native of Amer.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC
Text by J. M. Dalby Taxon concept: H.Hara (1953)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data ***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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