Lythrum salicaria

Regional Species Conservation Assessments per IBRA subregion.

Least concern

Near threatened

Rare

Vulnerable

Endangered

Critically endangered

Extinct

Data deficient

Adelaide

Arkaroola

Ceduna

Coober Pedy

Hawker

Innamincka

Marla

Marree

Mount Gambier

Oodnadatta

Renmark

Wudinna

Keith

Yunta

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Lythrum, an ancient name used by Dioscorides from the Greek 'lythron', meaning black blood, referring to the purple colour of the flowers of some specie, but it has been suggested that it refers to some styptic property of the plant. Salicaria, from Latin meaning willow-like, referring to the similarity of the leaves to those of the willow.

Found in the southern Mount Lofty Ranges, along the Murray River and in the lower South-east in South Australia, growing in moist places or near water, often in swamps or the edge of streams. Also found in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. Native. Rare in South Australia. Rare in Tasmania. Common in the other States.
Herbarium regions: Flinders Ranges, Murray, Southern Lofty, South Eastern, Green Adelaide
NRM regions: Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australian Arid Lands, South Australian Murray-Darling Basin, South East
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)

Erect, rhizomatous, perennial herb to 1 m high. Leaves mostly opposite; sometimes in whorls of 3 or the upper ones alternate; narrowly ovate to oblong-lanceolate; sessile and slightly stem-clasping, to 7 cm long. Inflorescence, a terminal spike with clusters of up to 4 magenta flowers in the axils of leafy bracts; floral tube more or less cylindrical to 5 mm long and 2 mm wide. Flowering between November and March. Fruits are brown papery ovoid capsule, splitting by 2 valves. Seeds are pale brown ovoid seed to 0.9 mm long and 0.5 mm wide. Seed embryo type is spatulate.

Collect seeds between January and May. Collect mature capsules that are turning brown in colour and contain brown seeds. Whole stem containing many clusters of fruit can be collected. Place the capsules in a tray and leave to dry for two weeks. Then rub the capsules gently by hand to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate the unwanted material. Be very careful as the seeds are very small. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place. Seeds are non-dormant, viable seed should germinate readily.

1. Germination 100% on 1% w/v agar, 16/8 dark/light, 10C/20C. 2. Germination 100% on 1% w/v agar, 16/8 dark/light, 20C/35C. See http://data.kew.org/sid

Location	No. of seeds (weight grams)	Number of plants	Date collected	Collection number Collection location	Date stored	% Viability	Storage temperature
BGA	16,200 (1.12 g)	1	18-May-2011	KHB587 Southern Lofty	1-Nov-2012	90%	-18°C
BGA	137,000 (7.41 g)	12	26-Mar-2012	DJD2340 Murray	1-Nov-2012	90%	+5°C, -18°C

Location: BGA — the seeds are stored at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, MSB — the seeds are stored at the Millennium Seed Bank, Kew, England.
Number of plants: This is the number of plants from which the seeds were collected.
Collection location: The Herbarium of South Australia's region name.
% Viability: Percentage of filled healthy seeds determined by a cut test or x-ray.

Date	Result	T0	T50	Pre-treatment \| Germination medium \| Incubator: Photoperiod / Thermoperiod
Jun-12	92%	7	14	1% agar with 100 mg/L potassium nitrate; Incubated under spring/autumn conditions
Jun-12	90%	7	14	1% agar; Incubated under spring/autumn conditions
Jun-12	80%	7	14	1% agar with 250 mg/L gibberellic acid (pH 6.5); Incubated under spring/autumn conditions
Jun-12	22%	14	NA	1% agar with 100 mg/L potassium nitrate; Incubated under winter conditions
Jun-12	12%	14	NA	1% agar with 250 mg/L gibberellic acid (pH 6.5); Incubated under winter conditions
Jun-12	6%	14	NA	1% agar; Incubated under winter conditions

Result: Maximum percentage of germination observed.
T0: Number of days before first germinant observed.
T50: Number of days to achieve 50% germination.
Pre-treatment: The initial treatment that the seeds received prior to placement on germination media.
Germination medium: The substrate that seeds were placed on for the duration of the germination experiment.
Incubator conditions:
Photoperiod: The duration of light exposure that the seeds were subject to during a 24 hour period.
Thermoperiod: The constant or diurnal temperatures that seeds were subject to during a 24 hour period.
Winter conditions: 15°C 20 h (3am→11pm); 5°C 4 h (11pm→3am) / 10 h light (8am→6pm); 14 h dark (6pm→8am)
Spring/Autumn conditions: 22°C 12 h (8am→8pm); 10°C 12 h (8pm→8am) / 12 h light (8am→8pm); 12 h dark (8pm→8am)
Summer conditions: 30°C 14 h (6am→8pm); 15°C 10 h (8pm→6am) / 14 h light (6am→8pm); 10 h dark (8pm→6am)

Mount Gambier (SVP02)	Southern Volcanic Plain	Vulnerable (IUCN: VU D2) [Troy's record - overland track]
Bridgewater (NCP01)	Naracoorte Coastal Plain	Vulnerable (IUCN: VU D2) [needs good quality swamps]
Glenelg Plain (NCP02)		Vulnerable (IUCN: VU D2)
Fleurieu (KAN02)	Kanmantoo	Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) [fluctuates]
Mount Lofty Ranges (FLB01)	Flinders Lofty Block	Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) [fluctuates; edge of range, outlier]
Northern Flinders (FLB05)		Data Deficient [only appeared after a wet year, temporary]
Murray Mallee (MDD02)	Murray Darling Depression	Vulnerable (IUCN: VU B2ab(i,ii,iii)) (Probable Decline) [restricted to river; comes & goes]
Murray Scroll Belt (RIV06)	Riverina	Vulnerable (IUCN: VU B2ab(i,ii,iii)) (Probable Decline) [restricted to river; comes & goes]