5795.000 Epilobium L. - Willowherbs

Clapham, A.R., Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. (1989) Flora of the British Isles. 3rd edition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

Raven, P.H. (1978) Onagraceae Flora Zambesiaca 4

Description of the genus

Perennial herbs, rarely annual. Stipules 0. Leaves opposite, usually alternate above, toothed or entire. Flowers in a terminal inflorescence. Bracteoles 0. Sepals 4, not persistent. Petals 4, rose-purple or white, emarginate. Stamens 8. Stigma clavate, spherical or deeply 4-lobed. Ovary 4-locular. Dehiscence of capsule loculicidal. Seeds with a prominent tuft of hairs (a coma).

Derivation of name: from the Greek: epi meaning upon and lobos meaning a pod, referring to the petals which are born on a pod-like ovary

Worldwide: 165 species in temperate areas, especially western North America, arctic and tropical mountains

Zimbabwe: 3 taxa.

Insects associated with this genus:
Hippotion celerio (Silver-striped hawk, Vine hawk) Food plant
Epilobium salignum

Links to taxa:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this genus

SpeciesFZ divisionsContent
capense Buchinger ex Hochst.EDescription, Image
hirsutum L.N,W,C,EDescription, Image
salignum Hausskn.N,W,C,E,SDescription, Image

Other sources of information about Epilobium:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Epilobium
Flora of Burundi: Epilobium
Flora of Malawi: Epilobium
Flora of Mozambique: Epilobium
Flora of Zambia: Epilobium

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Epilobium
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Epilobium
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Epilobium
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Epilobium
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Epilobium
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Epilobium
JSTOR Plant Science: Epilobium
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Epilobium
Plants of the World Online: Epilobium
Tropicos: Epilobium
Wikipedia: Epilobium

Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Genus page: Epilobium.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/genus.php?genus_id=1024, retrieved 13 December 2024

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