Ammannia coccinea Rottb.

de Wilde, W. J. J. O. & Duyfjes, B. E. E., 2014, Ammannia (Lythraceae) in Malesia, Blumea 59 (1), pp. 11-18 : 14

3. Ammannia coccinea Rottb.

Ammannia coccinea Rottb. (1773) 7; Koehne (1903) 49; S.A. Graham (1985) 407. — Neotype ( Graham 1985): G. Proctor 18339 (holo NY; iso A), Jamaica.

Robust, annual, (sub)glabrous herb, 30–100 cm tall, (unbranch- ed or) much-branched; stem (sub)4-angular. Leaves sessile; lamina linear-oblong or narrowly elliptic, 2–8 by 0.2–0.3(–1.5) cm, base auriculate or cordate, apex acute. Inflorescences sessile or short-peduncled 3–5-flowered cymes; peduncle to 9 mm long, with 2 small bracts. Flowers 4-merous; pedicel 2 mm long or less, bracteoles minute; calyx tube urceolate(campanulate), (2.5–) 3–4 mm long, with (4 or) 8 longitudinal low ridges, lobes 4 (or 5), triangular, appendages long or short, thickened, out- wards directed; petals 4 (or 5), deep rose-purple, obovate, c. 2 mm long; stamens 4(–7), exserted, anthers yellow; ovary subglobose, c. 2.5 mm diam, style slender, equal to or longer than the ovary, exserted. Capsules subglobose, 3.5–5 mm long, included or slightly exserted from calyx. Seeds numerous, c. 0.3 mm long.

Distribution — North, Central and NE South America; natu- ralized in the Pacific Islands ( Guam, Hawaii), China (Taiwan), and the Philippines; Europe ( Portugal, Italy).

Habitat & Ecology — Damp sites; in Malesia in lowland paddy fields. Flowering and fruiting recorded from October.

Malesian material examined. PHILIPPINES, Luzon, Mendoza PNH 22503.

Note — Ammannia coccinea is an amphidiploid species derived from A. auriculata and A. robusta (an American species); see Graham 1985.