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Botanical Family · Myrtales

Lythraceae

Loosestrife/Henna family

18 speciesOrder Myrtales8+ well-known plants

Herbs, shrubs and trees with wrinkled petals. Includes henna (Lawsonia), pomegranate (Punica), and crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia).

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Representative LYTHRACEAE specimen
Representative specimen · Lythraceae
Key pattern

Opposite or whorled leaves on herbs, shrubs, and trees; regular flowers with crinkled, crepe-paper-textured petals emerge from a distinct tubular hypanthium, ripening into a capsule or, in pomegranate, a leathery many-seeded berry.

Petals across the family share a characteristic crinkled, tissue-paper texture — crepe myrtle takes its name from exactly this — while henna's leaves supply the reddish dye lawsone.

Identify the species

Which Lythraceae species is this?

Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Lythraceae species.

Click a node to trace its path · pinch or scroll to zoom · drag to pan
HabitWhat is the plant's growth form?
Aquatic/wetland herb
Herb
Shrub
Tree
Leaf ShapeWhat shape are the leaves?
Lanceolate
Narrow linear
Not sure / other
Ordinary oval
Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?
Pink
Purple
Red
White
Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?
Not sure / other
Purple
White

How to recognise the Lythraceae family

  • 01

    Leaf arrangement: opposite/whorled

  • 02

    Leaf type: simple

  • 03

    Growth forms: herb/shrub/tree

  • 04

    Inflorescence: axillary/raceme

  • 05

    Fruit: capsule/berry

Typical leaf characters

  • ArrangementVariable
  • TypeVariable
  • MarginVariable
  • VenationVariable

Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.

Typical flower & fruit

Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.

Notable members

Monarch RedstemAmmannia bacciferaJerry-JerryAmmannia multifloraMexican False HeatherCuphea hyssopifoliaCrepe Myrtle, Crepe Flower, May Flower, Myrtle, Queen's Crape Myrtle, Common Crape MyrtleLagerstroemia indicaBen TeakLagerstroemia microcarpaSmall Flowered Crape MyrtleLagerstroemia parvifloraPride Of India, Queen Crape Myrtle, Queen Of FlowersLagerstroemia speciosaHenna, Egyptian Priven, Cypress Shrub, Camphire, SamphireLawsonia inermis

All 18 species in LYTHRACEAE

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