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Ludwigia palustris
Common Name: Marsh
seedbox, Water purslane, False loosestrife
Family: Onagraceae
Description: Aquatic plant primarily off shorelines
Leaves: Oval shaped to elliptical, approximately 1-2.5 cm long; glabrous; shiny green or reddish
Flowers: Inconspicuous, stalkless, located in leaf base, 4 greenish outer sepals (1.1-2 mm), no petals
Seeds: Whitish or yellowish-brown, curved-oblong, 0.5-0.9 mm long
Stem: Creeping and rooting at the nodes, simply to freely branched; rather succulent
Branching Pattern: Opposite
Height: 50 cm
Conditions/Habitat/Kind of Forest: Shallow water or mud of ponds, lakes, streams, ditches and round springs
Range: Most of the United States, except the Rocky Mountain area
Conservation Status-US/ World Wide: Not threatened
Uses (Human): Used in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis, asthma, and chronic coughs
References:
Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains. February 23, 2005. Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center. Accessed: December 21, 2005. <http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/vascplnt/species/lpal.htm>
Floating Mat Rooted Plants. December 1, 2005. Washington State Department of Ecology: Water Quality Programs. Accessed December 21, 2005. <http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/plantid2/descriptions/ludhex.html>
Plants for a Future. June 2004. Accessed: December 21, 2005. <http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Ludwigia+palustris>