Loosestrife

I was at my local nursery this afternoon when I ran into an old acquaintance, a self-proclaimed "nursery nut," who was gathering up loads of plants and flowers for her garden, which would be toured by the local garden club in ten days. She was carrying out her plants, guarding them like riches in a Brinks truck. She had a Euphorbia, some sweet potato vine, some trailing Dichondra and then, finally Purple Loosestrife. I was so taken by the name, and the flower isn't bad either(!), that I decided to do some study on it. This essay gives those results.

Loosestrife Today

There are two flowers that have the name of loosestrife, and these are not even in the same family much less the same genus. The OED's explanation is superior. "a. Lysimachia vulgaris (Primulaceae), flowering in July, and bearing racemes of golden-yellow flowers, called "Golden" or "Yellow" Looststrife. Here is a picture. It dwells in "moist roadsides and thickets, river-and stream-banks, wet meadows." Five-petaled bunched yellow flowers on top, with flaring lanceolate leaves, leaves that are thicker than willow leaves, about a foot apart up the stalk, characterize this plant. The other is Lythrum salicaria, from the Lythraceae family, known as "Purple Loosestrife." The name of this genus, given by Linnaeas, is derived from the Greek word for "gore"; I guess Linnaeus saw that in this plant. You see the willow-like leaves (thus explaining the salicaria). Unlike the Yellow, however, the shoot is narrow and straight, throwing off reddish flowers all the way up and down the impressive spike. This was the flower my friend had bought.

Doing Some History

The original name for both plants was Lysimachia, a Greek word that means "dissolves strife." The story of its discovery appears in Pliny's amazing Natural History, Book XXV.35 (early 2nd century CE). Perhaps unwittingly Pliny has put together two seemingly contradictory stories of its origin. I give the relevant passage in English (Latin is here):

"King Lysimachus first discovered the plant which from him has received the name of lysimachia, and the merits of which have been so highly extolled by Erasistratus. This plant has green leaves resembling those of the willow, and a purple blossom: it has all the appearance of a shrub, the branches are erect, and it has a pungent smell. It is found growing in watery soils."

Pliny's description actually matches the Purple Loosestrife very closely; we just can't be sure to which species he refers. But Pliny is clear that the origin goes back to Lysimachus, who was one of the diadochi or successors of Alexander the Great (d. 323 BCE). Far from "loosing" or "getting rid of" strife, Lysimachus seemed to court it wherever he went, and his personal as well as political life was characterized by violent quarrels. So, it appears that its name was given because it was discovered by someone who served this king, who wanted to honor the king by so naming the plant. But then, Pliny concludes with a fanciful explantion:

"The properties of it are so extremely powerful, that if placed upon the yoke when beasts of burden are restive, it will be sure to overcome all stubbornness on their part."

In other words, as this (second) explanation says, it had the property of "loosing strife" among restive beasts of burden. Who knows if this is true, but it probably was invented by some etymologist who had to have a reason for its existence from language and not from biography. Most scholars regard this as a fanciful (and thus not to be trusted) explanation.

Back To The Present

Medieval and Renaissance botanists divided the species of Lysimachia into two: L. luteam (Yellow) and L. purpurea (Purple). The English writer William Turner, in his 1548 book, The names of herbes in Greke, Latin, Englishe, Duche and French, had this to say: "Some call it Lycimachiam luteam...it may be called in englishe yealow Lousstryfe or herbe Wylowe....Lycimachia purpurea may be called in englishe red loosstryfe, or purple losestryfe," p. 50. Two hundred years later Linneaus separated the two flowers into the two genera with which I opened this essay. I couldn't easily find an explanation for why he divided them into two genera, though it is probalby true that they don't belong together. Why did he decide that the purple should loose the "Lysimachia" name? Well, all roads lead to Linnaeus, so eventually I suppose I will have to track him down.

Thus, the "loosestrife" name in English is a literal translation of "lysimachus," but we seem to have lost all understanding, if we ever really had it, regarding the origin of the name. No one assumes, in all likelihood, that application of either species of loosestrife would have any thing to do with achieving peace among beasts of burden or others. But, perhaps there is the germ of an idea here. Why not bring it to peace conferences, to international summits on peace, to meetings of the United Nations Security Council? If we talk about extending olive branches and doves of peace, why not try to resurrect loosestrife as something that magically brings peace? Maybe some mediators might even use a picture of it on their business card. It couldn't hurt. But, then again, don't count on it...

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