1348 Lythrum salicaria L.

This variable species is widely distributed as an indigenous plant in Europe, NW. Africa and Asia. Some lower taxa, even of species rank, are distinguished in Europe and Asia. It has been introduced into Ethiopia, N. America and Australia at least. Nowadays the species s. lat. belongs to the circumpolar plants (Hultén, Circumpol. Il, p. 216 and map 208). Cf. also world map in Meusel et al. 1978, p. 297.