Myrtles, Evening Primroses and Allies of Zihuatanejo

Ludwigia octovalvis is a species of flowering plant in the Onagraceae family known by the common name Mexican primrose-willow. Its flowers are yellow in appearance. on of green and red stems. Found mostly in humid places, damp grassland, rice-fields, ditches, by water-courses, swamps, lakes and pools, drains, sandy or silty floodbanks, gravelly riverbeds, floating logs in lagoons etc; also in old native gardens and coconut plantings. Often harvested in the wild for medicinal and anti-aging properties.

Description

• Ludwigia octovalvis, commonly known as Mexican primrose-willow, water primrose, or wild clove, is an erect, branching herb in the evening primrose family (Onagraceae). It typically grows about 30 centimetres to 1 metre tall, although it can grow larger in favourable conditions. Its alternate leaves are narrow, lance-shaped to oval-lance-shaped, with pointed tips and smooth margins. The stems may be smooth or covered with fine hairs. Four-petalled, bright yellow flowers grow singly in the leaf axils, followed by long, narrow, ribbed capsules containing numerous small seeds.

Range

• Ludwigia octovalvis occurs throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas and is now widespread in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. It is recorded in numerous Mexican states, including Guerrero. It is native to Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.

Habitat

• It grows in wet or seasonally moist habitats, including marshes, pond margins, riverbanks, ditches, temporary pools, and muddy ground. It can also occur in open woodland, scrub, and disturbed sites where moisture is available. The species tolerates both seasonally flooded soils and periods when the ground becomes less saturated.