Epilobium hooglandii

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Epilobium hooglandii

Description

Caespitose perennial herb with decumbent branches, the erect portions 10-25(-45) cm long; Leaves mostly opposite, alternate in the inflorescence, subcoriaceous, nerves ± visible in dried material, broadly elliptic to ovate, acute or obtuse at apex and base, entire or with a few teeth on the margins, 0.5-1.3 by 0.3-0.9 cm; Flowers nodding, the ovaries erect, borne in the axils of upper leaves. Sepals 3-4 by 1-1.6 mm. Petals 6-8.5 by 2.5-4.5 mm, pink to purplish rose, the notch c. 1.5 mm deep. Capsule erect, glabrescent, 5-8 cm long, on a pedicel 4-12 cm. Seeds 1-1.4 by 0.3-0.45 mm, finely papillose, brown;

Distribution

Asia-Tropical: New Guinea present, Mt Wilhelmina present
Malesia: New Guinea (Mt Wilhelmina in West, many localities in East).

Notes

Differs from the closely related E. detznerianum by its evenly pubescent stems, and from E. pro stratum by large flowers and seeds. It grows sympatrically with the other three New Guinean species. Occasional collections are intermediate with E. prostratum and obviously result from incidental hybridization. However, the two species keep in general amply distinct and are as well differentiated as most recognized species of the genus.