Ammannia latifolia

Ammannia latifolia L.

Family: Lythraceae

Habit: Ammannia latifolia grows as a succulent herb up to 1 meter in height with photosynthetic stems to 1 cm in diameter.  The sessile leaves are arranged oppositely, oblong, to 15 cm long, 1 cm wide. The leaves have an acute leaf apex and an entire margin with an auriculate leaf base.

The incomplete, perfect, actinomorphic flowers are solitary to few flowered arising in leaf axils.  The calyx has 4 fused, ribbed, greenish sepals.  The corolla is absent. There are 4 or 8 stamens. The ovary is superior, lacks a style, and has 4 locules each with many ovules.  The fruit is a round capsule.

Habitat: Ammannia latifolia grows in Fresh Water Wetlands including Sabal palmetto areas.

Distribution: Ammannia latifolia occurs throughout the Lucayan Archipelago, the Caribbean region, Florida and South America

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Ammannia latifolia is not known to be used medicinally in the Bahamas.