Cuphea carthagenensis (Jacq.) J.F. Macbr.

Colombian Waxweed

Herb

Annual

Vascular

Colombian Waxweed is a native herbaceous annual in the Loosestrife family (Lythraceae). It is native to the southern two-thirds of Alabama. Colombian Waxweed occurs in wet roadside ditches, on the shores of ponds and lakes, on the banks of rivers and streams, and in wet, open woods. It is an annual with erect, branched stems to 1 ft. in height. The stems are sticky pubescent with long glandular and short non-glandular hairs, and is green or reddish-brown in color. The leaves are opposite, short petiolate or sessile, elliptic to ovate or obovate in outline, with entire margins. The undersides of the leaves are rough pubescent on the veins. Flowers are solitary in the leaf axils. The calyx is tubular, green or purplish in color, with glandular hairs. The calyx is swollen on one side at the base, and has 12 nerves. There are 6 purple petals. The fruit is a capsule.—A. Diamond

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Not Native FACW (NWPL)

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