Lythrum alatum (Winged Loosestrife)at the Friendly Prairie on 6-22-26, #1099-98.

Winged Loosestrife, Winged Lythrum

Lythrum alatum

LY-thrum  a-LAY-tum

Synonyms of Lythrum alatum (2) (Updated on 8-9-26 from Plants of the World Online): Pythagorea alata (Pursh) Raf. (1819), Salicaria alata (Pursh) Lunell (1916)
Synonyms of Lythrum alatum var. alatum (autonym) (6) (Updated on 8-9-26 from POWO): Lythrum dacotanum Nieuwl. (1914), Lythrum hyssopifolium M.A.Curtis (1837), Lythrum lineare Hook. & Arn. (1839) (nom. illeg. homonym. post.), Lythrum saturejifolium DC. (1828), Lythrum virgatum Walter (1788) (sensu auct.), Lythrum virginicum J.Kenn. ex DC. (1828)
Synonyms of Lythrum alatum var. lanceolatum (4) (Updated on 8-9-26 from POWO): Lythrum alatum subsp. lanceolatum (Elliott) A.Haines (2010), Lythrum hyssopifolia var. virgultosum DC. (1828), Lythrum lanceolatum Elliott (1821), Lythrum lineare Bertero ex DC. (1828) (not validly publ.)

Lythrum alatum Pursh is the accepted scientific name for this species of Lythrum. It was named and described as such by Frederick Traugott Pursh in Flora Americae Septentrionalis in 1813.

Accepted Infraspecific Names (2) (Updated on 8-9-26 from Plants of the World Online): Lythrum alatum var. alatum (autonym), Lythrum alatum var. lanceolatum (Elliott) A.Gray (1850). *When an infraspecific taxon is named, an autonym (“type-specimen”) is automatically generated whose description is closest to the (original) species. All have their own list of synonyms… 

The genus, Lythrum L., was named as such by Carl von Linnaeus in the first volume of the first edition of Species Plantarum in 1753.

As of 9-8-26 when this page was first published, Plants of the World Online lists 40 species in the Lythrum genus. It is a member of the plant family Lythraceae with 28 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.

Distribution map of Lythrum alatum from Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet; http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/. Retrieved on August 9, 2026.

The above distribution map for Lythrum alatum is from Plants of the World Online. Areas in green are where the species is native. The map on the USDA Plants Database is similar. No map is perfect, but they do give a general idea.

The map on iNaturalist shows where members have made observations. Anyone can join and it is a great website to confirm and share your observations. The maps on iNaturalist are continually updated as members post new observations. I post all my observations on iNaturalist.

THERE ARE SEVERAL LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FURTHER READING AND TO HELP WITH A POSITIVE ID.

Lythrum alatum (Winged Loosestrife)at the Friendly Prairie on 6-22-26, #1099-99.

Until May 4 in 2025, I had been identifying wildflowers on the family farm, a friends farm and woods, along back roads and highways, etc. Then, on May 4 in 2025, a friend invited me to visit a private native prairie. It was incredible and I photographed 11 new to me species! We went back again on 4-19-26. I took friends on May 3, and there wasn’t much to see then. Then, on June 8 in 2026, he took me to the Lordi Marker Prairie then to Drover’s Prairie where I photographed 19 species, 10 new to me. On 6-22-26, I took my son, and we went to the Friendly Prairie for the first time, then on to the Lordi Marker and Drover’s Prairie. I photographed 22 species at the Friendly Prairie, 6 species at Lordi Marker Prairie, and 17 species at Drover’s Prairie. 11 more new to me. 

I ran across this new-to-me species while visiting the Friendly Prairie on June 22 in 2026. I took several photos and uploaded one of the best on the iNaturalist drag-and-drop feature (have to be logged in). The first suggestion was Lythrum alatum which I cross-referenced on the Missouri Plants website. It turns out iNaturalist was right again.

Lythrum alatum (Winged Loosestrife)at the Friendly Prairie on 6-22-26, #1099-100.

I went ahead and put the photos online even though I didn’t have very many. I will come back at some point to write descriptions. There are several links below with a lot of good information and great descriptions.

I will continue going back to the three prairies and maybe other areas to take more photos and see what else I can find.

I live on the family farm in Windsor, Missouri in Pettis County (Henry County is across the street, and Benton and Johnson aren’t far away). I have grown over 500 different plants and identified over 250 species of wildflowers (most have pages listed on the right side of the page). I am not an expert, botanist, or horticulturalist. I just like growing, photographing, and writing about my experience. I rely on several websites for ID and a few horticulturalists I contact if I cannot figure them out. Wildflowers can be variable from location to location, so that can be a bit confusing. If you see I have made an error, please let me know so I can correct what I have written.

I hope you found this page useful and be sure to check the links below for more information. They were written by experts and they have provided much more information. Some sites may not be up-to-date but they are always a work in progress. If you can, I would appreciate it if you would click on the “Like” below and leave a comment. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. I would enjoy hearing from you especially if you notice something is a bit whacky.

FOR FURTHER READING:
PLANTS OF THE WORLD ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
INTERNATIONAL PLANT NAMES INDEX (GENUS/SPECIES)
TROPICOS (GENUS/SPECIES)
FLORA OF MISSOURI (GENUS/SPECIES)
FLORA OF NORTH AMERICA (GENUS/SPECIES)
WORLD FLORA ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
WIKIPEDIA (GENUS/SPECIES)
USDA PLANTS DATABASE
iNATURALIST
MISSOURI PLANTS
MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
WILDFLOWER SEARCH
FLORIDA WILDFLOWER FOUNDATION
FRIENDS OF THE WILDFLOWER GARDEN
GO BOTANY
ILLINOIS WILDFLOWERS
KANSAS NATIVE PLANTS
KANSAS WILDFLOWERS AND GRASSES
LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER
MINNESOTA WILDFLOWERS
SEINet

NOTE: The data (figures, maps, accepted names, etc.) may not match on these websites. It depends on when and how they make updates and when their sources make updates. Some websites have hundreds and even many thousands of species to keep up with. Accepted scientific names change periodically and it can be hard to keep with as well. Some of the links may use a name that is a synonym on other sites. In my opinion, Plants of the World Online by Kew is one of the most reliable and up-to-date plant databases and they make updates regularly. I make updates “at least” once a year and when I write new pages or add new photos but I do get behind. We are all a work in progress. 🙂