Gratiola L.
hedge hyssop
Plantaginaceae
Hygrophila, Hypericum, Limnophila, Lysimachia, Lythrum, Macbridea, Mentha, Mimulus, Pogostemon, Rotala
temperate temperate:
(adj) of the climatic zone between boreal and tropical
regions and montane tropical regions
Gratiola officinalis L.
G. peruviana L.
G. viscidula Pennell
Gratiola neglecta Torr. is introduced into Europe.
G. officinalis is introduced into Korea.
occasional weed
submersed submersed:
see submerged
and emergentemergent:
(adj) (syn. emersed) with parts raised out of the water; extending up out of the water
attached stem plant
Annual or perennialperennial:
(adj) (of a plant) having a life cycle of more than two years
. Stems ascending or erect, new shoots arising from basalbasal:
(adj) at or pertaining to the base, or point of attachment
stem appearing jointed. Leaves oppositeopposite:
(adj) (of leaves) two leaves per node; in pairs on opposite sides of an axis
, decussatedecussate:
(adj) arranged along stem in pairs, with each pair at right angles to the pairs above and below
, evenly spaced along stem, sessilesessile:
(adj) attached directly, without a stalk
; leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
ovate-lanceolate to linear; marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
serrate. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
axillaryaxillary:
(adj) in, of, or produced from an axil
. Flowers solitary, pedicellatepedicellate:
(adj) borne on a pedicel
; sepals 5, green, unequal; petals fused, 2-lipped, lobes 5, unequal, white. Dispersal by seed or stem fragments.
shallow water and wet ground
Gratiola contains approximately 28 species, of which a few species, such as G. officinalis and G. peruviana, are sometimes cultivated for ponds. Gratiola officinalis is widely used as a medicinal herb and is protected in France.